ReachNow

ReachNow. It was a premium car-sharing service launched by the BMW Group in 2016, operating primarily in major North American cities. The service allowed members to access a fleet of BMW and MINI vehicles via a smartphone app for one-way and round-trip rentals. It represented a strategic move by the automotive industry into the mobility as a service sector, competing with established players like Zipcar and car2go before ultimately merging to form SHARE NOW.

History

The service was officially launched in Seattle in April 2016, building upon the foundation of the BMW Group's earlier car-sharing experiments in Europe like DriveNow. This expansion into the United States market was part of a broader corporate strategy to diversify beyond vehicle manufacturing. In 2018, Daimler AG and the BMW Group announced a merger of their respective mobility services, which included combining ReachNow with car2go. This consolidation was finalized in early 2019, leading to the creation of the joint venture SHARE NOW, which absorbed all North American operations.

Services

ReachNow offered several flexible usage models, primarily featuring a free-floating service where vehicles could be picked up and dropped off within a designated Home area in cities like Portland and Brooklyn. Members could also book vehicles for longer round-trip periods, functioning similarly to traditional car rental companies. The fleet consisted exclusively of premium models from the BMW and MINI brands, including the BMW 3 Series and the MINI Cooper. For a more chauffeur-driven experience, the company briefly operated a service called ReachNow Ride in Seattle, utilizing vehicles from the BMW 5 Series.

Technology and operations

Access to vehicles was enabled entirely through the ReachNow mobile application, which handled registration, vehicle location, reservation, and unlocking. The technology platform integrated with the vehicles' onboard telematics systems, a feature common in connected car services. Operational logistics, including fleet maintenance, cleaning, and recharging of electric vehicles like the BMW i3, were managed by local teams. The service's operational model required sophisticated geofencing technology to define service areas and manage parking compliance within municipal regulations in partnership with cities like the Portland Bureau of Transportation.

Market presence and competition

ReachNow established a presence in several key urban markets, including Seattle, Portland, and Brooklyn, targeting urban dwellers seeking an alternative to private vehicle ownership. It faced direct competition from other free-floating car-sharing services, most notably Daimler AG's car2go, as well as from station-based giants like Zipcar. The broader competitive landscape included rising ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft, and the evolving micromobility sector featuring bicycle-sharing systems. Its premium positioning aimed to differentiate it within the crowded transportation network company environment.

Closure and legacy

Following the merger between the mobility divisions of BMW Group and Daimler AG, the ReachNow brand was discontinued in 2019 in favor of the unified SHARE NOW brand. The transition involved migrating all members and vehicles to the new platform, marking the end of its independent operations. The venture demonstrated the active investment by major German automakers into new mobility business models during the late 2010s. Its operational experience directly informed the larger, combined fleet strategies of SHARE NOW, which later also withdrew from the North American market in 2020, highlighting the sector's financial challenges.

Category:Car sharing companies Category:BMW Category:Companies based in Seattle Category:Companies established in 2016 Category:Companies disestablished in 2019