BMW Group announced ParkNow, an innovative mobile parking solution and highlighted new details on DriveNow, a premium car-sharing service which features a fleet of BMW ActiveE all-electric vehicles. The news were announced at a press conference with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee as San Francisco is the first U.S. market where the services will be tried out.
Photo: BMW DriveNow ad, clickable
For now, there are approximately 505,000 vehicles in San Francisco, yet only 448,000 parking spaces available. The main problem of the traffic on the city streets, especially on weekdays, when the total vehicle number increases by 35,000 is that cars are searching for a parking spot.
ParkNow, which launches in September, will allows users to pay for parking in advance, with guaranteed access and clearly defined rates, an different parking spots across the city. Using ParkNow’s mobile app or website, drivers will be able to reserve and pay for parking and then be navigated directly to the parking facility. BMW has opened 14 ParkNow locations in and around San Francisco.
There is also ParkAtMyHouse program allowing to connect home and business owners who want to earn some extra cash by renting their space with drivers in need of a convenient and safe cost-effective place to park. The service has 20,000 unique locations and over 150,000 registered drivers in the UK, Ireland, Canada and the U.S.
DriveNow has been operating in the city since in June but introduced globally last year. The program offers the opportunity to drive one of 70 available BMW’s first all-electric vehicle, the BMW ActiveE with zero emission driving.
Due to a partnership with California-based Coulomb Technologies’ ChargePoint network, the cars can be easily charged at a electric vehicle charging station for free.
BMW is also a Launch Partner of the non-profit Green Parking Council, which works to find better solutions in such areas as parking, green building, clean technology, renewable energy, smart grid infrastructure, urban planning and sustainable mobility.
In July, BMW opened a sustainable mobility concept store in London.
Photo: BMW DriveNow ad, clickable
Photo: BMW ParkNow ad, clickable