DriveNow: your flexible car club in Hackney – try it out with 30 free minutes

Photographs: David Ulrich

Join for free and get 30 minutes to try them out

Going out for dinner with friends, heading to a meeting across town, or off on a spontaneous weekend adventure? Take a DriveNow BMW or MINI for your trip.

DriveNow is your flexible car club, giving you 24/7 access to BMW and MINI vehicles conveniently located across North East London, including Hackney. There’s no need to pre-book a car weeks or even days in advance, simply find a car in the app 15 minutes before you need to leave. Members can choose to drive by the minute, hour or day with fuel and insurance included in the rental price.

Unlike traditional car clubs, once you’ve completed your trip you don’t need to return the car to where you found it. Just park it for free in any residents’ or pay and display bay within the DriveNow Zone (currently Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest). If you need to park the car temporarily during your trip, it’s easy to do so as you would your own car then return when you’re ready.

Everything can be done in the app. Find and reserve the car (15 minutes free reservation) then plan your journey by entering your destination and selecting an hourly or daily package if you need one. Unlock the car with the app, and lock it behind you when parking during your trip or once you’re finished with the car.

Why car sharing?

More car owners than ever are now faced with the question ‘Why do I need to own a private car?’ This is no different for London where DriveNow has already reached over 100 members per vehicle. This has an important impact on the number of cars on our streets, with lower car ownership opening up space for other users.

In London, for every DriveNow vehicle, 13 privately owned cars are taken off the road and 6% more of our members walked 20 minutes once per week in 2016. You can easily integrate your DriveNow journey with other forms of transport – walk, bike, train or bus before or after your trip.

Car sharing operators in the UK are also leading the switch to low emission vehicles. DriveNow is focusing on increasing awareness to and familiarity with electric vehicles (EVs), with 20% of the total DriveNow fleet being fully electric. In London, the average CO2 emissions of the DriveNow fleet is 36% lower than that of the UK average. There are 50 all-electric BMW i3 vehicles available in the London fleet. Charging is included in the cost and when needed, it’s easy to charge the car in a Source London charging bay.

Drive by the minute, hour or day

If you need a car for a quick trip, perhaps to meet friends or pick up an item, driving by the minute is the best option. Everything’s included in the price so you don’t need to worry about anything. If you need the car for longer, choose an hourly package to suit your trip. There are 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12 hour packages available and all include fuel and insurance. For weekend escapes or a mid-week break, you can take a car for up to 4 days without having to pre-book the car in advance!

Meet the fleet

DriveNow has cars to suit every trip. The BMW i3 is all-electric, meaning you don’t need to pay the Congestion Zone Charge when you’re on your way to meetings in town. The BMW 1 Series has enough room for all your shopping bags, and comes with a booster seat if you’re travelling with children. The MINI 3 and 5 door models are perfect for a quick trip to meet friends, and the MINI Convertible is ideal for sunny days in the countryside.

DriveNow international

With over one million customers Europe wide, DriveNow has hundreds of BMW and MINI cars available in major European cities. Whether you’re travelling for business or away on holiday, you can pick up a DriveNow from the airport and use a car when you need in the city – by the minute or hour. Cars are also available at London City Airport for pick up and drop off, and also on Level 3 at Stratford International Car Park without needing to pay for a parking ticket for either.

How it works:

• Join online for free and get 30 minutes driving time to try DriveNow
• Find and reserve a car in the app 15 minutes before you leave
• Choose how you want to drive – by the minute, or with an hourly or daily package
• Unlock the car with the app and enter your PIN in car
• There’s no need for keys – simply push the start button
• Enjoy your trip!
• End your rental in the DriveNow Zone in any public parking bay

Join DriveNow for free and get 30 minutes to try them out. There are no ongoing monthly or annual costs – you only pay when you drive.

Enjoy driving a BMW or MINI without the hassle of ownership.