Mercedes Benz EQ 002
Feann Torr13 Oct 2016
NEWS

Mercedes embraces Airbnb for cars

And Aussie Benz owners may soon be able to ‘rent out’ their Mercedes to make extra cash

Oh Lord, won’t you rent me your Mercedes-Benz… Indeed, but from next month (November 2016), Mercedes-Benz owners in Germany will be able to rent out their cars for extra cash, via a new peer-to-peer (P2P) system being tested by the prestige car company.

And if all goes swimmingly, the program could be trialled in Australia, with vehicle idle time potentially earning money for car owners.

Mercedes-Benz CEO, Dieter Zetsche, one of the most influential figures in the automotive industry, said a new era in car sharing is dawning and together with EVs, it's going to revolutionise the automotive landscape.

"Your car can be equipped with a box that connects it to an online platform. Then your photograph of your Mercedes creates yours car's profile.

"It's like Airbnb for cars," he explained during an extended half-hour speech at the 2016 Paris motor show.

"Next you enter your free dates and give thousands of members the ability to rent, unlock and drive your car, all with a smart phone."

Mercedes Benz EQ 001


The German company believes car-sharing will become a key part of owning a car, and it’s not alone. Ford, GM, Volkswagen (and others) are all investing heavily in car-sharing platforms as a form of future proofing. These schemes and even P2P based programs are not new, with several small players already here in Australia. But with the weight (and significant resource) of a major car manufacturer behind it, and the reassurance that will provide to owners, the mainstream adoption of car-sharing and renting could blossom.

"Our next big step with huge potential is peer-to-peer car-share. Cars are parked for nearly 23 hours per day on average. Why not use this extra time to earn some extra money for the owners?" Zetsche mused.

Ditching the usual suit and dress shoes for a blazer, jeans and sneakers at paris, Zetsche was adamant that electric vehicles (EVs) will become the norm, and their reduced maintenance costs will make car-sharing far more appealing for owners.

Indeed, he's staking the company's fortunes on it by investing billions of dollars in EVs, battery development and production.

Some within the German company suggested that within a generation there may be no combustion engine vehicles left in dealerships... Much to the chagrin of AMG fans!

"We are currently working on several P2P car sharing projects. For instance we've teamed up with a San Francisco based start-up to launch a pilot program… We will start our very our P2P car sharing pilot in Germany this November," said Dr Zetsche, not afraid to put his money where his mouth is.

Closer to home, Mercedes-Benz has already stated its intention to bring its EQ range of EVs to Australia from 2019 and by extension the car-sharing platform is being investigated too.

"We've had a look at it, and we continue to," said Mercedes-Benz Australia's senior manager for product and corporate communications, David McCarthy of the proposed ‘Airbnb for cars’.

"And this might be the vehicle that advances it," he said of the upcoming mid-sized electric SUV.

"A lot of those trends we will adopt, we will embrace, we will Australian-ise them and make them better," McCarthy stated.

What do you think, will car-sharing and EVs become dominant forces in the car world, or is Zetsche doing too much star-gazing? Have your say in the comments below.

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