!NEW! Carsharing Powered by Opel: More than 5,000 App Users Already

Good start for CarUnity, the innovative carsharing concept 

CarUnity, the innovative carsharing concept powered by Opel has made a promising start. Currently, roughly one month after its launch, around 1,500 cars are available on the new platform, mainly in the Rhine-Main area, which is Opel’s home turf. The free app already has over 5,000 registered users. “We have taken a strategically important step towards becoming a mobility provider with the successful launch of CarUnity. We will build on this and fire up the next step now,” said Opel Group CMO Tina Müller.

“We initially focused our marketing efforts on the Rhine-Main area. Now we will up the ante all over Germany. We will be targeting the Berlin metropolitan area next and will intensify our commitment there,” added Dr. Jan Wergin, Director Opel Community Carsharing. Berlin is a hotspot for carsharing. “That is why expanding to the German capital is the next logical step to take for CarUnity. We are optimistic that our concept will be just as successful in Berlin as it is in the Rhine-Main area,” said Wergin.

Opel launched its new carsharing community under the motto “Better off sharing” (“Wer teilt, fährt besser”) at the end of June. CarUnity provides a quick, easy and flexible opportunity for car owners to offer their car for rental. Opel is treading a new path with the free CarUnity app and is the first car manufacturer to offer carsharing for everyone. It does not matter if the car is an Opel or a different brand.

The expansion of the mobility services portfolio is an important pillar on Opel’s plans for the future. Earlier this month, Opel secured a stake in the ridesharing platform flinc. Furthermore, the already existing cooperation between flinc and CarUnity will be extended. As of 2016, the internet and app-based ridesharing platform will provide the technological platform to provide ridesharing via the carsharing app. “This step will add further impetus to our intended change towards becoming a mobility service provider,” said Tina Müller.

!NEW! Opel Acquires an Interest in Ridesharing Platform flinc

• Strategic investment in cooperation partner
• Together with CarUnity further element on the way to a mobility provider

Opel is taking the next important step to becoming a mobility provider after successfully launching the carsharing app CarUnity. The carmaker is investing in the internet and app-based ridesharing platform flinc. GM Ventures (GMV), the investment division of General Motors, will realize the investment. The technology used for flinc will play an important part in extending Opel’s mobility service offer throughout Europe. Deutsche Bahn will join GMV and also become an investor.

"For Opel this partnership is a decisive strategic investment. It will be crucial in the future to evolve from a product manufacturer to a provider of networked mobility," said Opel's chief marketing officer Tina Müller.

Opel and flinc are already working together successfully. A pilot project including an internal ridesharing platform for Opel employees in Rüsselsheim was launched in March. Currently, 9,000 rides per month are shared via the app-based platform, with an upward trend. In June, the partners also announced an expansion of the cooperation. From 2016, flinc will provide the technological platform so that rides can be shared via Opel’s new carsharing app ‘CarUnity’. Further details on this will be announced at a later date.

Opel is the first carmaker to introduce a carsharing concept for everyone. Cars can be shared no matter whether they are made by Opel or another brand. CarUnity enables flexible, individual mobility throughout Germany at all times. 

!NEW! Opel CarUnity: Launch of Innovative Opel Carsharing Concept

• “Better off sharing” – New Opel carsharing community CarUnity for everyone
• Free app now available for download
• CarUnity important part of Opel mobility services
• Cooperation with ridesharing platform flinc to be intensified

“Better off sharing“: Opel CMO Tina Müller launched Opel’s new carsharing community CarUnity today.

“Better off sharing” („Wer teilt, fährt besser“) – is the motto of Opel’s new carsharing community CarUnity. The innovative carsharing concept launched by the Rüsselsheim automaker in Germany appeals both to vehicle owners and to vehicle users. CarUnity enables them to offer their own car for rental or to rent a car of their choice quickly, easily and flexibly. It does not matter if the car is an Opel or a different brand. From today, the CarUnity app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play. 

Combining forces: Opel CMO Tina Müller (left) and campaign ambassador Bettina Zimmermann present the new CarUnity app.

“We are taking a new approach with CarUnity. Opel is the first automaker to offer carsharing for everyone. CarUnity enables individual mobility everywhere in Germany – at any time and with greatest flexibility”, explains Chief Marketing Officer Tina Müller. “People in Germany can offer their car for rental or rent a car with the free app. Private carsharing fits to our brand – after all, approachable is one of our brand values.“  

The CarUnity app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Carsharing à la Opel has many advantages: car owners all over Germany can earn money with their cars and car renters can use cars in their vicinity for reasonable prices. And with CarUnity, the use of existing cars will be increased, which conserves resources. Fuel costs are covered by the renter. “The slogan ‘Better off sharing’ says it all”, says Dr. Jan Wergin, who as Director Opel Community Carsharing masterminded the development of CarUnity: “Everyone involved benefits from this clever carsharing idea.”

Opel CMO Tina Müller and Dr. Jan Wergin, Director Opel Community Carsharing, presented Opel’s innovative carsharing community “CarUnity” today.

Thanks to the innovative app, car owners can decide who may rent their car. CarUnity users can, for example, offer their car only to their Facebook friends or to people in their personal CarUnity network. The entire transaction takes only a few seconds with the user-friendly app.

Insurance is of course provided for the rental cars. The Opel Bank GmbH developed a comprehensive package for this, and the insurance coverage itself is provided by R+V Allgemeine Versicherung AG.

Marketing for CarUnity is initially focused on the Rhine-Main region and includes cooperation with the radio station FFH, billboards at busy traffic hubs such as main railway stations as well as communication on social media networks. Many private individuals, Opel employees and dealers have already made their cars available to the community for the premiere of CarUnity. Some automotive treasures from Opel Classic can also be found on CarUnity.

Expanding the portfolio of mobility services is an important element of Opel’s plan for the future. “With CarUnity, early on we introduce young people who want to be mobile but do not have their own car to the Opel brand,” says Tina Müller. “In the future it will be increasingly important to develop from a product manufacturer to a mobility service provider with an outstanding network. CarUnity and our new personal connectivity and service assistant Opel OnStar will play an important role in digitalizing the Opel brand.”

Against the background of the increasing importance of mobility services, Opel also announced closer cooperation with the ridesharing platform flinc. From 2016, flinc will provide the technical platform so that ridesharing can also be offered via the car-sharing app. “Just like for CarUnity, we will go our very own way,” explains Jan Wergin. Further details will be announced at a later date.

Just a few months ago, Opel started a successful cooperation with flinc for all employees at the headquarters in Rüsselsheim. “flinc’s technology has the potential to play an important role in Opel’s focus on expanding mobility services for customers throughout Europe,” says Tina Müller.