DriveNow

DriveNow

Company type	Private
Industry	Carsharing, Mobility services
Founded	June 2011 (2011-06)
Founder	BMW Group, Sixt SE
Defunct	2019 (2019)
Fate	Merged with car2go to form Share Now
Headquarters	Munich , Germany
Area served	14 countries, 31 cities (Europe)
Products	One-way carsharing service
Owner	BMW Group (since March 2018)
Parent	BMW Group

DriveNow was a one-way carsharing platform fully owned by the automobile manufacturer BMW. In 2019, DriveNow combined with car2go, a carsharing service operated by Daimler AG, resulting in the creation of the global mobility company Share Now. This merger brought together a fleet of 20,000 vehicles spread across 31 cities in 14 countries, serving a customer base exceeding four million members worldwide. Share Now operates as part of a joint mobility venture between BMW Group and Daimler AG.

The service debuted in Munich, Germany in June 2011. By October 2017, DriveNow had expanded to more than 6,000 vehicles across nine European nations, covering five German cities (Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Düsseldorf, Cologne) along with Vienna, Copenhagen, Brussels, Milan, Helsinki, and Lisbon. The milestone of one million users was achieved in October 2017.

Its vehicle lineup was exclusively composed of BMW Group models, featuring different MINI variants (3-door, 5-door, Convertible, Clubman, Countryman) as well as BMW X1, X2, i3, 1 series, and 2 series vehicles.

Originally established as a joint venture between BMW Group and the car rental firm Sixt SE, each holding an equal share of 50%, DriveNow became fully owned by BMW in March 2018 after BMW purchased Sixt’s shares for around €209 million. In April 2018, BMW and Daimler reached an agreement to merge their mobility services—including DriveNow and car2go—to promote sustainable urban transportation.

A related BMW initiative named ReachNow operated in North American cities from April 2016 until July 2019 (covering Seattle, Portland, Brooklyn), utilizing RideCell technology instead of Sixt’s platform.

Cities

The table below details the cities where DriveNow provided services:

City	Country	Vehicles	Fuel Types	Launch Date	Closure Date
Munich	Germany	750	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
Berlin	Germany	1400	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
Hamburg	Germany	620	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
Düsseldorf	Germany	310	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
Cologne	Germany	310	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
Vienna	Austria	720	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
London	United Kingdom	720	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting	29 February 2020
Copenhagen	Denmark	550	Gasoline, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
Stockholm	Sweden	400	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting	31 October 2018
Brussels	Belgium	310	Gasoline, Electric	July 2016	29 February 2020
Milan	Italy	500	Gasoline, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
Helsinki	Finland	150	Gasoline, Electric	May 2017	29 February 2020
Lisbon	Portugal	210	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric	September 2017	3 March 2020
Budapest	Hungary	250	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting

One-way Carsharing Concept

Distinct from conventional car rental services, one-way carsharing permits customers to rent vehicles that are parked freely throughout urban or commercial zones using a smartphone application. Pricing varies between 0.24 and 0.57 per minute, depending on the type of vehicle and location, covering fuel, parking fees, and insurance costs. DriveNow provides various packages designed to lower the per-minute charges. Typically, vehicles need to be returned within the same city's business district, with the exception of trips between Düsseldorf and Cologne.

Mobile Application

DriveNow’s app allows users to find, book, and unlock cars remotely. It also shows fuel levels for combustion engine vehicles and battery status for electric cars, helping users choose appropriate vehicles for longer journeys.

Fleet

The DriveNow fleet consists of gasoline and diesel BMW models such as the 1 Series, 2 Series, X1, X2, as well as Mini models including Countryman, Clubman, Convertible, and Cooper. Additionally, electric BMW i3 and ActiveE vehicles are part of the lineup. By mid-2015, DriveNow had introduced 70 BMW ActiveE electric cars in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Electric Vehicle Operations

At one point, DriveNow managed one of the world's most extensive electric car-sharing fleets, featuring BMW i3, BMW i3 Rex, and BMW ActiveE models. Starting from 15 July 2015, a total of 724 fully electric BMW i3 cars were deployed across several cities including Berlin (130 units), Hamburg, Cologne/Düsseldorf, and Munich, phasing out the BMW ActiveE in Berlin and Munich. In London, the BMW i3 was available from May 2015 until the service ceased operations there, taking advantage of local tax benefits. In September 2015, DriveNow introduced a completely electric fleet consisting of 400 vehicles in Copenhagen.