Car2GO to launch in Calgary

[artvandelay]

For those of you that have driven the Smart cars, how is the acceleration/power on them?

[kw5150]

I used car 2 go a couple times in the last week.

1. Took the train from the airport and planned to walk the 8 blocks to the condo; but, you guessed it! Car2go was sitting there. All of our luggage fit nicely into the back of the car. One large suitcase and two large carry-ons

Didnt drive today but wanted to run home for lunch and grab some things. Bingo: A couple cars were one block away.

The car was still waiting for me when I came outside.

So far I still am in disbelief that something this cool is in Calgary.

[lineman]

Originally Posted by artvandelay

For those of you that have driven the Smart cars, how is the acceleration/power on them?

I've only driven it from home to the CBD or Beltline. It seems zippy enough for these areas, although it kinda suffers up Centre Street. I find it sufficient for 50kph zone driving.

The automated manual is real jerky and slow-shifting when left in full automatic. It performs better when you do the shifting yourself in the +/-gate. For car sharing purposes, I hope the next-gen gets a CVT.

Edit: Honestly, if I were looking for a small car, I'd look at the Toyota Yaris or Ford Fiesta. Much better value and similar fuel economy.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by artvandelay

For those of you that have driven the Smart cars, how is the acceleration/power on them?

They're pretty gutless. You can shift them into low, which gives you a bit more acceleration off the line, but not much.

[sidepockets]

Originally Posted by 93JC

I recall that when I signed up the membership would be automatically renewed after a year for $35; I think I'm going to have to call and cancel my membership when the time comes.

I believe that the $35 membership fee was only upon application for a new membership and not an annual cost (and most new members could find a code to have that fee waived).

[93JC]

Originally Posted by sidepockets

I believe that the $35 membership fee was only upon application for a new membership and not an annual cost (and most new members could find a code to have that fee waived).

Here's where I read it:

https://www.car2go.com/calgary/en/fi...al_process.pdf

Section I, subsection E: "Membership is for one year and will be renewed automatically at the end of its term for another one-year period unless membership is terminated by car2go. At renewal, Members may be charged an annual registration fee, if any, in accordance with the then current fee schedule."

It appears that there is no annual membership fee in the schedule, so never mind then.

[93JC]

Originally Posted by lineman

I've only driven it from home to the CBD or Beltline. It seems zippy enough for these areas, although it kinda suffers up Centre Street. I find it sufficient for 50kph zone driving.

The automated manual is real jerky and slow-shifting when left in full automatic. It performs better when you do the shifting yourself in the +/-gate. For car sharing purposes, I hope the next-gen gets a CVT.

Edit: Honestly, if I were looking for a small car, I'd look at the Toyota Yaris or Ford Fiesta. Much better value and similar fuel economy.

Absolutely. This echoes what I said in my response to Car2Go, particularly the transmission. The manual mode is better than automatic but it's still very slow and jerky.

That plus the generally mediocre build quality and the price were the reasons I told Car2Go I wouldn't buy one.

[hulkrogan]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

You can shift them into low, which gives you a bit more acceleration off the line, but not much.

No it doesn't. Starting from a stop the transmission, in full auto mode, starts in first gear anyway. All low does is keep it from up-shifting all the way and is useful for extremely hilly terrain to keep the transmission from constant up/down shifting.

[tmjr]

Some complaints about Car2Go...

The Car2Go service has proven popular with many Calgarians but not everyone is jumping on board the transportation trend.

The City’s Roads Department handles residential areas and also has an agreement with the car service that allows members to park in permitted zones.

... says the smart cars typically fill up all the spots around her home and she is getting frustrated.

“I found that not only were there multiple vehicles taking up very limited parking space on this street but they also, contrary to what some people may believe, they stayed for hours,” said ....

From CTV Calgary News

[kw5150]

Who are the morons that are mass parking these things in front of people's homes? Talk about ruining it for the rest of us......also the other day, I saw a stupid woman pulling out of a parkade with a car2go.....People just abuse everything if you give them the chance.

On the other hand....these things can park in the smallest spaces....so why does the woman on the story even care? Better than a bunch of giant cars stealing the spots....

The other day I parked between two cars that no other car could fit into...ever.

[lineman]

Nothing is worse than reserving a car and it not being on the street. If a-holes are hiding car2gos in parkades or (even worse) their own garage, they should have their membership revoked.

It's appalling some people can't play nice in a car share program.

[kw5150]

I would love to see all of the things that have been left in car2go's to date. Would be funny, and some things not as funny. Does anyone know where they put these found items?

[mersar]

Well depending on what parkade it was then you may or may not have a right to be mad. There are numerous parkades who have signed on and designated stalls in them for car2go use. But if it was a private parkade for a condo or similar then that is a worth complaining about. We've been encouraging almost every project through BPG to talk to them about dedicating a stall or two for car2go in their public parking areas.

[Jimby]

http://eugenestickland.com/2012/11/0...r-with-no-car/

[Surrealplaces]

Calgary fastest growing car2go city worldwide

15,000 registered members in first 60 days

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Calgary...#ixzz2BeYyt6nX

[Bigtime]

They have raised the rates and removed the ability to reserve a car farther out than the 15 minutes (effective November 12):

Minute: $0.35 -> $0.38
Hour: $12.99 -> $13.99
Day: $64.99 -> $72.99

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

They have raised the rates and removed the ability to reserve a car farther out than the 15 minutes (effective November 12):

Minute: $0.35 -> $0.38
Hour: $12.99 -> $13.99
Day: $64.99 -> $72.99

They have a big advert in the current edition of the Gauntlet. Students can currently register for free and get 30 free minutes of usage on top of that.

[Deepstar]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

They have raised the rates and removed the ability to reserve a car farther out than the 15 minutes (effective November 12):

Minute: $0.35 -> $0.38
Hour: $12.99 -> $13.99
Day: $64.99 -> $72.99

A little bit more money, but still more cost effective than taxi cabs in most cases.

[McMurph]

I love the concept and have used it a few times. My only concern is the fact that it seems that its being used primarily by downtown commuters. The evening and morning maps are ridiculous -- all the cars are out in the periphery each night (no doubt in front of the house of someone who is counting on it being there in the morning), then they all "disappear" into the core by 8AM. Instead of supplanting car ownership, like a true car-share ought to be doing, our program seems to be supplanting transit and saving car commuters a load of cash on parking. Not exactly in-line with our core transportation plans. I'm also fully expecting to hear about Car 2 Go rage as neighbours begin poaching the cars that commuters had expected to have each morning.

I hope the city and Car 2 Go figure out a solution soon. Living in the inner-ish city (Bankview in my case) and not being able to find a car between 7 AM and 5PM is a bit irritating. I've heard of folks who live downtown/beltline that are equally bothered by not being able to find a car in the evening.

[Deepstar]

A simple fix would be to have a surcharge on cars that stay outside of the core overnight.

Originally Posted by McMurph

I love the concept and have used it a few times. My only concern is the fact that it seems that its being used primarily by downtown commuters. The evening and morning maps are ridiculous -- all the cars are out in the periphery each night (no doubt in front of the house of someone who is counting on it being there in the morning), then they all "disappear" into the core by 8AM. Instead of supplanting car ownership, like a true car-share ought to be doing, our program seems to be supplanting transit and saving car commuters a load of cash on parking. Not exactly in-line with our core transportation plans. I'm also fully expecting to hear about Car 2 Go rage as neighbours begin poaching the cars that commuters had expected to have each morning.

I hope the city and Car 2 Go figure out a solution soon. Living in the inner-ish city (Bankview in my case) and not being able to find a car between 7 AM and 5PM is a bit irritating. I've heard of folks who live downtown/beltline that are equally bothered by not being able to find a car in the evening.