GM Carsharing Service Maven Launches In Los Angeles, San Francisco, & Denver

GM’s carsharing service, Maven, has expanded into the Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver markets in recent days.

The expansion means that the Maven carsharing service is now available in 13 different cities — the 3 aforementioned cities + Boston, Chicago, Jersey City (New Jersey), Baltimore, New York City, San Diego, Washington DC, Orlando (Florida), Detroit, and Ann Arbor (Michigan).

To date, the service has gained roughly 13,000 members who have cumulatively traveled around 28 million miles, according to the company.

For those unfamiliar with the service — it functions pretty similar to the other carsharing options out there (such as Zipcar), with pricing in the new western markets starting at $8/hour (inclusive of fuel and insurance costs). Notably, there are no application or membership fees.

Amongst the vehicle models available for use, which varies somewhat depending on the market, are the:

• Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid (PHEV)
• GMC Yukon
• Chevy Cruze
• Chevy Tahoe
• Chevy Malibu
• Cadillac Escalade
• Cadillac CT6

Depending on the region, bike and ski racks are sometimes already installed.

It’s been interesting to watch how rapidly auto manufacturers have been entering the carsharing business as of late, seemingly in a rush. I guess that the writing’s on the wall as far as declining vehicle ownership rates amongst the young? A decade or so ago, practically the only option out there was Zipcar (which, notably, got acquired by a major car rental company).

Those interested in using Maven can find out more on its website.