CarSharing World

Look at the fleet of most carsharing organizations in the United States today, and you’ll see a lot of similarities: fuel-efficient, hybrids, cute, and barebones. Most of the cars are ‘fleet’ cars, and come with almost no options, and generally have the smallest engine choice as well. This subtle point, in my mind, will be the big difference between carsharing remaining a niche product, and driving it into the mainstream. I’ll discuss this a little more, as well as give a list of 5 ‘carshare-friendly’ luxury cars that won’t break the bank.

What’s the nicest car in your local carshare? Unless you belong to Zipcar or PhillyCarShare, the answer is likely to be a Prius or a low-end MINI hardtop/convertible. While that is more than fine for the early adopters, who are mostly utilitarian(barebones fleet model is perfect for them) and the environmentalist(better gas mileage is a better car in their eyes), it will hit a brick wall when carsharing comes into the mainstream.

People who drive Audis and Acuras won’t want to downgrade to a Prius, and definitely not a Yaris. They would love to be able to still drive a Lexus or other luxury brand though, and are willing to pay for it. PhillyCarShare charges an extra $2/hour for these cars compared to the Mazda3, Honda Element, and Civic Hybrid, and $4/hour more than the Prius. According to Clayton Lane of PhillyCarShare, the high-end cars are sustainable in their operation.

You aren’t just going after the upper class, either. It is very attractive to people who drive Toyotas, Fords, and Hondas. Lane mentions that “people making $30,000 per year can drive a bimmer for $8/hour.” That is a huge positive to marketing carsharing: Drive a more expensive car while still saving money. Being able to pop into an Audi or Lexus for a low price can be very enticing.

One reason this may not be happening is that carsharing organizations look at these cars and see poor gas mileage. While being environmentally friendly is a main goal of carsharing, just getting more people to get rid of their cars will help. Ten people each driving a Prius is more harmful to the environment than ten people sharing one H2. Adding premium cars will help add members and reduce the number of cars on the road.

There are plenty of luxury cars out there that are carsharing-friendly. Here are five cars that each get over 20 mpg in the city, cost $32k or less, and all but one has over 200 horsepower:

Lexus IS250

• Cost - $32k
• MPG City/Highway: 21/29
• 204hp V6 engine
• Standard feature highlights: 13 speaker sound system, leather seats, 10-way power front seats, sunroof, steering wheel audio controls

Acura TSX

• Cost - $29k(base), $32k(premium)
• MPG City/Highway: 21/30
• 201hp 4 cylinder
• Standard feature highlights: heated seats, power seats, moonroof, leather seats, steering wheel audio controls, Navigation with traffic(premium), 10 speaker sound system(premium)
• Note: It was redesigned for 2009, meaning you can appear ahead of the curve

Audi A4

• Cost - $31k
• MPG City/Highway: 21/30
• 200hp 4 cylinder
• Standard feature highlights: power seats, power lumbar support, moonroof, 10 speaker sound system, rear A/C vents, one-touch power windows

MINI Cooper - loaded

• Cost - $31k
• MPG City/Highway: 26/34
• 171hp turbo 4 cylinder
• Feature highlights(includes options in $31k price): Sunroof, auto climate control, heated seats, leather seats, rain sensor, premium sound, iPod adapter, and more
• Note: Sell this as a premium MINI, noting what you get with it, and it will gain a lot of fans

Audi A3

• Cost - $32k(nicely equipped)
• MPG City/Highway: 22/29
• 200hp 4 cylinder
• Feature highlights: heated seats and mirrors, iPod interface, dual sunroof, leather sport seats with power lumbar, AWD, dual-zone climate control
• Note: This wagon is great for being sporty as well as practical

Well, there you have it. I hope I changed at least someone’s mind in adding premium cars. They may cost more, but in the end, there are some that are carshare-friendly, and the extra price will pay for itself in the additional marketing and exposure you gain from a high end car. While smaller carshare organizations might not be able to afford these now, I feel that some, such as CityCarShare and I-GO, whom have none of these premium cars currently, should step up and add some sooner rather than later.

What do you think? Am I right or dead wrong? Discuss it in the forum.

Filed under: Carsharing World, Technology