NEWS & BLOG
For the week of September 9 to 17, we're offering Yoogo Share private members a chance to take a Yoogo Share car home (or anywhere they want to go) for just $10!
Grab a new BMW i3 or Hyundai IONIQ from our first Auckland hub in the ANZ Centre on Albert St.
With only two vehicles based at the Albert St hub, advanced bookings are essential.
All existing members can now book the cars.
If you're new to Yoogo Share, sign up and we'll send you an access card - it's currently free to join Yoogo Share and there are no membership fees.
The people of Christchurch have made carbon savings of 50 tonnes since February by choosing to join Yoogo Share and drive pure electric cars. This initiative was led by Christchurch City Council which had the vision to reduce emissions and accelerate Christchurch’s transition to becoming a smart city.
In recognition of these carbon savings and the people who have made it happen, Yoogo Share is planting 1,000 native trees in Evans Pass to help restore the valley. Working with the Department of Conservation & Meridian Energy, Yoogo Share has invited their business and private members to help mark this milestone together. The planting will take place on September 23rd as part of Conservation Week.
Kirsten Corson, General Manager of Yoogo Share says Cantabrians have been very welcoming of the cars in the city. “We have over 3,000 members that enjoy the smart, clean and affordable mobility option – plus they’re great fun to drive.”
With road vehicles accounting for 17 percent of all CO2 emissions in NZ[i], electric vehicles have the potential to greatly reduce New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions. New Zealanders are really starting to embrace electric cars, with almost 10,000 electric vehicles now registered around the country. Corson says the high cost of EVs including the cost to buy and install chargers is a barrier for many Kiwis, which is why Yoogo Share’s pay-when-you-use model has been so attractive to Cantabrians.
For Kiwi businesses who have made a commitment to reducing their carbon footprint, Yoogo Share’s a solid option that makes real commercial sense. Carl Devereux, Regional Director of Aurecon enjoys the simplicity of the Yoogo Share cars for the global engineering & infrastructure advisory firm: “A transition to a fully electric fleet was an obvious choice for our business. Yoogo Share presented the opportunity to transition to a modern fleet of vehicles with improved safety standards…. This is an important next step for our health and safety journey… and our staff are excited to be part of this new and sustainable transport initiative.”
The shared fleet is available 24/7, so for the general public looking to reduce the number of vehicles in a household, Yoogo Share is a really convenient option. Nicole Oliver, a private member of Yoogo Share since February loves the clean, green aspect of the car sharing service: “I walk to work so just book via the app, jump in, sync my music and the car instantly feels like it’s my own. Whether it’s for a work meeting or heading out on the weekend shopping, it’s easy.”
University of Auckland Professor Shaun Hendy is on a self-imposed year without flying to highlight climate change. Hendy chose to drive pure electric during his recent return trip from Christchurch to Queenstown because of the reduced emissions from electric cars. Hendy said that driving himself in a pure EV was so much better from a CO2 perspective, and that charging the car cost just $37 one-way.
Car sharing is quickly becoming a global phenomenon, with innovative cities like Christchurch encouraging the use of shared cars as an extension of their transportation network. People use car sharing alongside public transport, ride-hailing, walking and cycling for their daily mobility needs.
Yoogo Share’s fleet of electric cars are available for hire by the minute, hour, day, overnight or weekend. Located in 8 hubs around Christchurch, including the airport, Cantabrians and visitors to the city can enjoy the benefits of driving electric without the cost of ownership.
Corson says 50 tonnes is just the beginning for Yoogo Share in Christchurch, noting: “We look forward to hitting 100 tonnes of carbon savings by Christmas. Planting the 1,000 natives is our way of giving back and saying: Thanks for your support Christchurch.”
[i] New Zealand’s Environmental Reporting Series: Our atmosphere and climate 2017: mfe.govt.nz/sites/default/files/media/media/our-atmosphere-and-climate-2017-final.pdf
Yoogo Share, part of a locally owned fleet management and vehicle leasing company, recently launched New Zealand's first 100 per cent electric car sharing service - in fact, it's the largest scheme of its type in the southern hemisphere.
Officially launched in Christchurch by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on February 15, 2018, the Yoogo Share electric car sharing service is an initiative the Christchurch City Council hopes will drive transformational change in terms of both carbon emissions and attitudes about future vehicle ownership.
The service provides businesses and the public with access to a pool of 100 electric vehicles (EVs), including BMW i3s and Hyundai Ioniqs, on a shared basis from 10 hubs and 100 chargers around the city.
Yoogo Share general manager Kirsten Corson says: "Whilst we are not the total mobility solution for a person or business we deliver a cost effective and sustainable option."
The traditional internal combustion engine has been around for over a century. Fuelling, maintaining and operating them is easy due to a well-established, extensive network of refuelling and vehicle servicing operators. People understand and trust them. Meanwhile 100 per cent EVs, while appealing for multiple reasons, are something of an unknown quantity.
But that wasn't about to scare off Yoogo Share's vision of the future. Corson says: "We learned that a lot of businesses wanted EV fleets, but they came at an initial higher capital cost. Not only the cars, but the charging infrastructure. And because it's relatively new and fast-moving technology, many businesses and the general public have found it challenging."
These very difficulties actually strengthen the business case for car sharing, where the costs are spread across multiple users, reducing risk and translating capital cost to operational expense. "We were fortunate enough to get a public private partnership in place with the Christchurch City Council, and to receive co-funding from the Government's Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund, administered by EECA. The Council, along with twelve foundation customers and over 3000 drivers, created an immediate commercial benefit in dollars and cents that meant those customers could go green without the hassle." says Corson.
And the rental costs are pretty impressive, starting at just under $15 for an hour, which is less than the cost of an Uber. An 'overnighter' costs as little as $36.
So how does Yoogo Share achieve such low prices? Part of it, Corson explains, comes down to an EV's low maintenance, with only around 20 moving parts in an electric engine, compared with nearly 2000 in an internal combustion engine. The other part is that the company looks to absolutely maximise the time the vehicles are in use. "We've got fantastic technology fuelling the back end and within our App which makes it simple, convenient and efficient to access a car," says Corson.
What's the reaction been like so far? "Anyone who gets into one of our EVs for the first time tends to have a 'Eureka' moment," says Corson. "Experiencing the power, smoothness and silence of an EV for yourself is really the only way to fully appreciate their capabilities. When you drive EVs for a while its hard to go back to a combustion engine."
And Yoogo Share is giving the people of Christchurch the opportunity to do just that. "The easiest way to get started is to simply download our App and register or register via our website: www.yoogoshare.co.nz."
Of course, Christchurch is just the start of what the company plans to be a nationwide service. "Obviously we'll start in the major population centres, but there is demand in the smaller towns too."
"So, yes, we're hoping to give people across the country the opportunity and chance to drive a pure EV and get hooked on all the economic and environmental benefits they offer. And possibly challenge the current concept of traditional car ownership at the same time." There are Yoogo Share cars at Christchurch Airport if you are heading that way.
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