With an investment of one billion euros, 60 million active users worldwide, and the five business areas BMW and Daimler start joint venture for mobility services. The merger not only affects the car sharing provider Drive-Now and Car-2-Go, the drive in the future, the brand Share Now. Be combined stores and projects around the Park (the Park Now), the Charging of electric vehicles (Charge Now), planning a trip on a mobility platform (Reach Now) and carpooling services (Free Now). A total of 14 brands to be linked. The two companies intend to expand beyond traditional automotive engineering on the global rapidly growing market for mobility services. Here the aim is to win as early as possible with the right technology, a large number of customers. Tech providers, such as Uber or Lyft ahead of the car industry.
On Friday presented BMW CEO Harald Krüger and the Chairman of the Board of Daimler, Dieter Zetsche, the joint activities in Berlin. A new name for the service providers overall, it is not intended to give differently than originally planned, first of all. The five units will have with your own business guides, the greatest possible operational freedom. Specific business objectives were not called.
500 employees in Berlin
In Berlin, the company also has its headquarters. 500 employees currently in the restored rooms of the former Kaufhaus Jandorf on wine mountain Park (the fountain at the corner of veterans road) in the middle. As a “Kreativitätshub and innovation” is the capital a more attractive location for employees and talents. Berlin as “the perfect place to start something New,” said BMW chief Krüger. Up to 1000 new jobs to be created in the coming years in the world.
win Berlin as a location of the automotive industry in importance. Volkswagen controls of his lines of business for new mobility services. Under the name Moia VW developed a car service, following the example of Uber. The Team behind the soon to be starting the VW car-sharing service We Share also has his office in the capital and not on group in Wolfsburg. In addition, numerous companies such as Bosch and Deutsche Bahn a so-called Innovation Labs in Berlin, from where they plan their Digitisation to open up promote. In March, to arise in the ullsteinhaus in Tempelhof-schöneberg, a Co-working space similar to the Factory in Berlin – only for the mobility company. The main shareholder of “The Drivery” is the automotive supplier Hella.
“times have changed”
you all have discovered in the capital city of the promising Ecosystem. “Berlin plays in the first League of the international Start-up Hubs, and is the first choice for the founder and Creative from all over the world,” says Stefan Franzke, head of the Berlin Economic development Corporation, Berlin Partner. Of the international talent, the companies want to benefit. Comparatively low Rents and wages make the town attractive. In the mobility scene, the Berliner are also considered as experimental and the metropolis, therefore, as an ideal test field for Car-, Bike – and scooter-sharing services.
BMW and Daimler remain in the classic automotive industry competitors. “Times have changed,” said Daimler chief Zetsche. Where we have complementary Strengths in other areas, could join forces. The five business areas operate on a geographically independent of the centers in Munich and Stuttgart, “and quickly and profitably grow”.
wide with a BMW and Daimler in the station-free car-sharing, although you can earn so the bottom line is still no money. Drive-Now and Car-2-Go around the world, more than four million customers in 30 cities, including 500,000 in Berlin. Be offered to 20,000 vehicles (Berlin: 2600). The two names should remain, even for the customers, nothing will change. Since Friday, both fleets are but about the Apps available. Also the slightly different pricing models, remain for the time being. The goal is to quickly create a single System and a single App access, said the new Share Now-Director Olivier Reppert.
Other means of transport are to be connected
just three weeks ago, the Teams work together for several days, leaving each other in the books look. Now, in all 30 cities, in which the one or the other brand, or both, are represented, will analyze, how the fleets are sized and together would set, said Reppert. Open so, whether you Share Now will offer in Berlin more or less vehicles. According to analyses of the company, a car-sharing car replaces eight private Cars. Overall, it sees itself as a part of – especially urban – mobility system. “We want to connect to other modes of transport”, said BMW CEO Krüger.
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The offer in the future, to Autonomous cars, or even air taxis could be expanded. “It is also conceivable collaborations with other providers, as well as acquisitions of Start-ups or established players are,” said Daimler chief Zetsche. At the Moment there is no concrete plans or goals, but “that may change next week”. How long is the investment of one billion euros is sufficient, Zetsche: “for So long, until it’s gone.” The success of the common business model depends not only on the finances. “Money is not the only factor,” said Daimler chief financial officer Bodo Uebber. Equally important is the technology and the trust of the customers. And have suffered according to the Diesel scandal, difficult.
