Peter Palmer: BMW Expands Car & Ride Sharing Lease Program

BMW Group has announced the Car & Ride Sharing Lease program for BMW and Mini vehicles. The program, offered by BMW Group Financial Services, allows customers to share their leased vehicle with peers and drive for ride sharing providers. BMW says the program reflects the current shifts in the market and addresses the changing attitudes toward car ownership.

“One of the biggest shifts in the automotive industry is the adoption of the sharing economy,” reads a statement from BMW Group Financial Services. “Increasingly customers are looking for platforms which allow them to earn additional income by renting their vehicles when not in use, or driving for ride sharing providers.”

Readily Accessible

BMW’s ReachNow program already serves more than 75,000 in the Seattle, Portland, and Brooklyn metros. Through the ReachNow app, users can access over 1,300 BMW and Mini vehicles, including the all-electric i3. Members can select any vehicle in the fleet without visiting a rental storefront – nor do they have to return the vehicle to a specified location. The ReachNow app is designed to give customers an option, whether they want to drive, ride or rent a vehicle.

“We are very excited to provide an industry-leading, customer-centric approach to mobility services that will allow our customers the ultimate in flexible utilization over the life of their contract with BMW Group Financial Services,” explained Ian Smith, CEO of BMW Financial Services Group, Region Americas. “As a company, we are committed to delivering a simple and transparent solution that optimizes our already premium customer experience.”

The service has since expanded to include markets in California, Washington, and Oregon. BMW Group Financial Services was established in 1992 to support the sales and marketing of BMW products.

Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.

Photo & Source: BMW of North America, LLC.