GM Enters Car-Sharing With Maven

The concept of sharing is a growing trend in our society. We share bikes, apartments, cars, etc. Car sharing is not a new concept, but there are not a lot of services out there. Zipcar probably is the most recognizable and visible across the US. Quietly popping up in select cities is a new car sharing service owned by General Motors, called Maven. I’ve heard bits and pieces of news about GM entering the car sharing service, but Detroit was not one of the participating cities at the time. A couple of weeks ago, I saw an Instagram ad in which Maven announced Detroit as one of its participating cities. I immediately downloaded the app and registered. I don’t have a need for car sharing, but was still intrigued as to how the process worked.

You need to download the app first, and then you will register with an account. Within your account, you provide personal information like driver’s license number, and method of payment, just to name a few. After about 48 hours, Maven will approve your account and you are able to reserve a vehicle. Currently, Maven is located in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Chicago, NYC, LA, and San Francisco. You’ll find a range of GM vehicles from Chevy, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC. Your smart phone is literally the “key” to everything! The Maven app locks/unlocks the door and once inside, you can start the ignition. My car was a Chevy Cruze hatchback; a car that I think looks cool anyway. I knew I’d be taking some photos of the car so I made a quick trip to the car wash before starting my journey.

One thing I liked was the fact that you get a fairly equipped vehicle. I had the Cruze Premier trim level which included leather seats, Apple Car Play, 4G LTE WiFi, satellite radio, and OnStar. At an hourly rate of $8 and no monthly membership fee, I can see Maven taking off. Unlike conventional rental cars, Maven supplies you with a GM Corporate gas card to top the car off once it gets below ¼ of a tank. I really enjoyed my 4 hours with the car, now just imagine if I really had something to do besides drive around and take pictures!

For the individual who lives in a downtown environment, I can see Maven being the perfect means of transportation. With a combination of public transit options and Maven, you can take full advantage of the many attractions within the cities Maven serves. Good pricing, ease of use, and in-car amenities makes this a service worth checking out! Maven – if you’re listening, can you add some Cadillac vehicles to the Detroit fleet? While I wait for my Cadillac, you can check to see if Maven is in a city near you at www.maven.com

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