car2go Transitions Portland Fleet to Compact Mercedes-Benz Vehicles

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- car2go, the largest, fastest-growing one-way carsharing service in the world, announced today that it is modernizing its Portland fleet to be fully comprised of compact Mercedes-Benz CLA and GLA vehicles.  car2go's decision to retire its two-seater smart cars was based on overwhelming usage data and member feedback. The service expects to complete its transformation by the end of this month.

"Our new, compact Mercedes-Benz car2go vehicles represent the future of carsharing," said car2go Portland General Manager Ken Hills. "Our members requested more room for passengers and an improved driving experience - without sacrificing ease-of-parking. When given the choice, our Portland members have been choosing Mercedes-Benz the vast majority of the time since we first introduced them here earlier this year. Our compact Mercedes-Benz vehicles also feature the latest car2go technology, enabling a fast and intuitive app-based carsharing experience."

Portland's car2go Mercedes-Benz vehicles seat up to five passengers and, despite their larger interior space, are deceptively compact: both are shorter in length than a Honda Civic or a Toyota Camry. Every Portland car2go Mercedes-Benz CLA and GLA vehicle is equipped with blind spot sensors, adaptive braking and a rearview camera for easy parking.

One-way carsharing is proven to help cities both move and breathe more easily. In fact, research by UC Berkeley illustrates that each car2go vehicle can remove up to 11 other cars from crowded city streets while also reducing air pollution. The increased passenger capacity of car2go's new Mercedes-Benz vehicles further enable car2go to move even more Portlanders around the city using fewer cars.

About car2go in Portland

• Portland has over 54,000 car2go members and a fleet of over 475 car2go vehicles. Each car2go in Portland is shared by over 113 members on average.
• The impending upgrade of Portland's fleet will not affect the number of vehicles in its fleet.
• car2go covers most public, on-street metered parking within the Portland Home Area, including airport pickup and drop off at AirPark ($5 airport fee).
• Since launching in 2012, Portland car2go members have taken 3.6 million trips covering over 13 million miles – enough to drive to the moon and back 28 times.

Meet the new car2gos: Mercedes-Benz CLAs, GLAs

car2go's 2018 Mercedes-Benz CLA is a fun and sexy 4-door coupe and car2go's 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA is a sporty, 5-door small SUV with expanded cargo capacity. All CLAs and GLAs come equipped with Adaptive Braking, Blind Spot Assist, a rearview camera, heated seats, Hands Free Access to the trunk, and full smartphone integration that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Mercedes-Benz car2gos come in three colors: Night Black, Cirrus White, and Polar Silver.

More information on new vehicle features are as follows:

• Rearview camera, providing drivers with a 180-degree view for added confidence when backing-up
• Blind Spot Assist, which warns drivers when another object or vehicle is in their blind spot
• Adaptive Braking, a radar-based technology that can autonomously brake at speeds of up to 65 mph and alert drivers when approaching a vehicle ahead – including some stationary objects – at a speed and distance that suggest a collision is likely
• Hands-Free Access, a sensor in the rear bumper that detects your presence with the car's key and automatically opens and close the trunk or hatch by moving your foot under the bumper sensor
• Heated Seats, Bluetooth, Navigation, and Panoramic sunroof
• Multiple air-bags and anti-lock braking system
• Full smartphone integration including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• A fuel-efficient turbo 4-cylinder motor that accelerates quickly while still achieving up to 37 mpg highway fuel economy in part though Mercedes-Benz's innovative ECO start/stop system that turns off the engine to prevent fuel consumption while idling at a stop, and re-starts the engine instantly when the driver moves from the brake to the gas pedal

Free new member registration for Portlanders

For a limited time, car2go is offering Portlanders free registration and drive credit for new car2go members. Download the car2go app or register at car2go.com with the code PDXBENZ to receive free registration plus $5 of drive credit. car2go covers its members insurance, parking, gas and maintenance with no additional fees. Members only pay by the minute for what they use.

About car2go N.A. LLC

car2go N.A., LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler North America Corporation, offers an innovative mobility solution in rapidly growing urban areas via a carsharing network of affordable, eco-friendly Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles. A flexible and "on demand" mode of transportation, car2go complements existing public transportation by bridging the gaps between the "first and last mile" of a member's commute. Today, car2go's global operation is the largest, fastest-growing carsharing program in the world with more than 2,800,000 registered members and a fleet of nearly 13,000 vehicles in 26 locations in North America, Europe and Asia. Further information on car2go is available at car2go.com and car2go.com/NA/en/press/.

SOURCE car2go