Ride-sharing program gets charge from electric utility

EPB is boosting electric vehicle ride sharing in Chattanooga by sponsoring the roll out of three Nissan Leafs and cutting the cost of renting the cars.

The power distributor is working with Green Commuter, which late last year unveiled its membership-based, fully automated program offering access to a network of electric vehicles in Chattanooga.

Under EPB’s sponsorship, three of the vehicles will rent at a substantially lower cost: $4 per hour compared to $7 per hour, and $32 per day versus $45 per day.

J.Ed. Marston, EPB’s marketing vice president, termed the ride-sharing vehicles “a great option for people to commute around town in ways that support Chattanooga’s environmental stewardship.”

The Green Commuter Leafs are available at charging stations throughout the Chattanooga area.

Los Angeles-based Green Commuter was chosen by the Chattanooga Area

Regional Transportation Authority, the city’s bus service, which funded the program through a $3 million grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Alex Hruz, operations coordinator for Green Commuter, said the service is seeing about 50 to 60 rentals a week.

“It’s a learning curve and getting people car sharing,” she said at the solar-powered electric vehicle charging station near Chattanooga Theatre Centre.

Lisa Maragnano, CARTA’s executive director, said the transit agency wants to make sure Chattanoogans have choices. All of the 20 or so Nissan Leafs, including the three EPB-branded vehicles, are on a transit route, she said.

Maragnano said a user could bike to a bus stop, travel to a ride-sharing location and pick up an electric vehicle. On average, a user could save $9,000 a year, she said.

Marston said EPB’s sponsorship is coming out of its marketing funds.

“The auto industry is making a shift to electric vehicles,” he said, adding the Tennessee-built Leafs have an equivalent cost to operate of 75 cents or less per gallon.

Interested renters can apply online at Green Commuter’s website. Drivers then can use Green Commuter’s app to find a nearby rental electric car, utilize a Smartphone to unlock it and start the engine. No key is involved in the app-based system.