Getaround launches on-demand hourly carsharing in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Getaround, the carsharing platform that empowers users to instantly rent and drive great cars shared by people in their city, joins the Greater Philadelphia community today.

Every car on the platform can be booked hourly or daily and is equipped with Getaround Connecttm, a patented technology that enables users to remotely locate and unlock cars using the Getaround iPhone or Android app. Philadelphians can conveniently carshare with people near them, without coordinating a key pickup or dropoff. This puts a wide variety of cars at the fingertips of consumers while empowering car owners to earn thousands in extra income that helps offset the cost of their vehicle.

Unlike other rental car options which add fleets of cars to city streets, Getaround takes cars off the road by reusing the ones that people already own, which sit idly for 23 hours per day on average in the U.S. According to a study by the University of California Transportation Sustainability Research Center, every shared car takes about 10 personal vehicles out of gridlock, alleviating congestion and reducing carbon emissions. In fact, the center says 1,000 shared cars can offset up to 50 million pounds of carbon dioxide, which means Getaround users can contribute to improving air quality.

"It's been our mission to drive change that has global impact, yet also positively affects local communities," said Sam Zaid, CEO and co-founder of Getaround. "Our platform helps alleviate traffic congestion, while providing a long-term flexible model for car ownership and giving earning power to owners."

In addition to its positive impact on urban mobility and the local environment, peer-to-peer carsharing has quickly become a community favorite because of its contribution to local economic growth. Renting cars owned by people in Philadelphia neighborhoods, rather than from a company that owns the vehicle fleet, keeps revenue in the pockets of students, entrepreneurs, families, and anyone who wants to earn thousands in extra income. A full security screen of every renter, $1M insurance policy to cover each booking, real-time GPS tracking and 24/7 customer support ensure that owners can confidently share their cars on the platform.

"We're thrilled to add instant carsharing to Philadelphia as we expand further into the Northeast, and are ready to empower Philadelphia car owners to start sharing now," said Nick Tenekedes, interim General Manager for Philadelphia, and a seasoned GM who led the company's expansion into Chicago. "Getaround has established solid relationships with local automotive partners, who began equipping cars with Connecttm hardware on July 25th in the regions of North Philly, Center City, and South Philly."

To learn more, list your car, or rent a car nearby, visit https://www.getaround.com. To download the iPhone or Android mobile app go to https://appstore.com/getaround.

About Getaround
Getaround empowers people to instantly rent and drive great cars shared by people in their city. Cars can be rented by the hour, or the day, with insurance and 24/7 roadside assistance included. By using the Getaround app, people skip the lines and paperwork at traditional rental car counters, and the hassle of buying and maintaining a car. Powered by Getaround Connecttm, the patented connected car technology, Getaround creates a fun and safe carsharing experience without the need to meet the car owner, carry an access card, or coordinate picking up a car key. People share everything from a Prius to a Tesla and earn thousands in extra income each year, offsetting the high cost of car ownership while also making a positive impact on the environment. Headquartered in San Francisco, Getaround has thousands of cars available throughout major metropolitan areas across the United States. For more information visit Getaround.com, download the iPhone or Android app, like on Facebook, and follow on Instagram and Twitter.

SOURCE Getaround