Volkswagen presents tariff model for “Quicar” car sharing project

The tariff model for the “Quicar – Share a Volkswagen” car sharing project has been finalized: Going forward, customers in Hanover will be able to rent a Golf 1.6 TDI BlueMotion for 20 euro cents per minute. “We have developed a tariff concept for Quicar that is attractively-priced as well as being simple and flexible,” Christian Klingler, Board Member for Sales and Marketing for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, commented. Volkswagen is launching its new mobility concept in the Lower Saxony capital this fall with a fleet of 200 Golf BlueMotion. To start, the cars will be available at some 50 stations – in the medium term, as many as 100 stations could be dotted all over the city.

A first-time registration fee of €25 is payable to sign up with Quicar. Minimum rental time is 30 minutes (€6), and rental will thereafter be charged to the nearest minute at 20 euro cents per 60 seconds. There will also be an attractive parking tariff. Anyone parking their Quicar model during the rental period will only pay 10 euro cents per minute, again charged to the nearest minute. Customers undertaking to perform services such as filling up with fuel themselves will be rewarded with a time credit for their next rental. A fuel card located in the glove compartment can be used to fill up the car free of charge.

The first model in the fleet will be the Golf BlueMotion. Its 1.6 TDI diesel engine has an average fuel consumption of a mere 3.8 liters per 100 kilometers, corresponding to CO2 emissions of only 99 grams per kilometer. A start-stop system and recuperation (brake energy regeneration) are standard features and make sure the Volkswagen fleet in Hanover ranks among the most efficient car sharing service providers.

To start there will be some 50 pick-up and drop-off locations dotted all over the city. In the medium term, this number could reach 100. It is easy for customers to collect and return their cars to these stations. The advantage of this system is its very high availability. Customers interested in car sharing will be able to register and find out more at shops located across the city.

The principle of the concept is very user-friendly. Once customers have registered they can book a Golf BlueMotion via the Internet, a special app or a call center up to 15 minutes before the car is needed. Collecting the vehicle only takes a few seconds. The customer holds the Quicar access chip which is fixed to the driver license over a reader fitted to the car and the vehicle is unlocked. The ignition key is located inside and the driver completes the authorization process by entering a PIN using the touch screen.

A completely new telematics and software solution for bookings, reservations and vehicle management has been developed for the car sharing fleet. In addition, all the vehicles are fitted with navigation systems and Park Distance Control.