Residents of Tauranga can now take advantage of EV car sharing, thanks to the launch of GoTo Car Share. The new company offers the use of EVs from durations of 30 minutes to an entire weekend.
Founder Steven Vincent says that the inspiration for the company stemmed from the growth of the sharing economy, as well as the desire to see fewer cars on the road, which helps to reduce our carbon footprint. He also observed the popularity of car sharing in major cities in Aotearoa and thought a similar service would be beneficial in Tauranga, which has a population of more than 155,000, with an estimated 52,000 commuter cars on the road each day.
“We have a resource that can be shared by individuals, reducing the need for each person to bring their own vehicle into the CBD.” says Vincent, “It just makes sense.”
GoTo Car Share currently operates out of Basestation on Durham Street in the Tauranga CBD, with a fleet of EVs and a rapid charging station available to the public. The service operates via an app for ease of booking and features keyless access to any EV in the fleet 24/7.
The plan is to extend to more locations around Tauranga, which would allow users to pick up and drop off at multiple locations. GoTo has been supported by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, economic development agency Priority One and Farmer Auto Village.
“We’re proud to work with partners dedicated to taking real action for sustainability,” Vincent states. “Their support for a car sharing service in Tauranga proves that there is a real commitment to providing world-class forward-thinking solutions to benefit people in the Bay of Plenty and to reduce our carbon footprint.”
He notes that car sharing disrupts how people view their method of travel from one location to another, thereby shaping the business, social, and environmental landscape. “If we encourage people to stop using their cars for the commute to work, we need to offer a viable solution that works alongside an efficient public transport system,” Vincent says. “That’s the purpose of GoTo Car Share in a nutshell.”
Current users include charities, not-for-profits, IT companies, start-ups, and business owners. All these organisations and their teams can now make use of a fleet of EVs without the disadvantages of having to maintain an on-going costly corporate fleet.
Related: Farmer Autovillage leads electric charge in Bay of Plenty
