Car-Sharing

GM pulls the plug on Maven car-sharing service

Maven users logged into a smartphone app to reserve a car.

Photo courtesy of MAven

Maven is no more. The car-sharing business experiment built on the hope that people wouldn't want to own cars anymore has reached the end of the road.

Last year, Maven's parent company General Motors announced that the service was pulling out of most of its service areas. Now, in an email to subscribers, the company says that it is shuttering the service due, in part, to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Launched in 2016, Maven originally stared as an on-demand car sharing program where smartphone app users were able to have access to a General Motors vehicle for a set length of time, picking it up from a designated area and dropping it off at another. That space was already occupied by ZipCar, among others.

The company pivoted, then allowing users to share their own General Motors vehicles peer-to-peer style like Turo does, as well as in the original style.

Later, with the launch of Maven Gig in 2017, the company attempted to rent out vehicles to drivers who work for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft.

Maven Gig launch Austin TexasMaven Gig allowed users to utilize GM vehicles for Lyft and Uber responsibilities.Photo courtesy of Maven

In its heyday, the service was available in 17 cities. However, despite the analysts projections about millennials wanting everything as a subscription service, Maven was never really ever able to catch on. In May 2019, it was announced that service would cease in eight cities but remain available in Ann Arbor, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, San Francisco, Washington, D.C, and Toronto.

At the time of its launch, former GM President Dan Ammann said, "GM is at the forefront of redefining the future of personal mobility. With the launch of our car-sharing service through Maven, the strategic alliance with ride-sharing company Lyft, and building on our decades of leadership in vehicle connectivity through OnStar, we are uniquely positioned to provide the high level of personalized mobility services our customers expect today and in the future."

Ammann currently works as the President of Cruise, a company GM purchased at the same time it launched Maven, which is also designed to transform mobility solutions. Recently, they launched the Cruise Origin, a self-driving all-electric shuttle that acts much like Mcity driverless shuttles that were used at the University of Michigan in 2019.

GM is currently gearing up to produce the Origin at their Detroit-Hamtramck plant alongside the GMC Hummer EV.

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Updated EV

2023 Nissan Leaf pricing announced

The Leaf got a mild facelift for 2023.

Nissan

Nissan is nearing the release of the Ariya, its first new EV in several years. Even so, the brand hasn't forgotten about its first mass-market EV, the Leaf. It was an early entrant in the space, and has been an efficient, affordable, commuter car for over a decade. The car got a mild facelift for 2023, with updated wheels and exterior styling accents. Today, Nissan announced pricing for the Leaf, which starts at just under $29,000.

2023 Nissan LeafThe Leaf feels lively, despite middling power numbers.Nissan

The base Leaf comes with a 40-kWh battery capable of delivering a 149-mile range. Its 110-kW electric motor produces 147 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The Leaf SV Plus features a 60-kWh battery for a range of 212 miles. It comes with a 160-kW motor that makes 214 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. Nissan backs all Leaf models with an eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty.

ProPilot Assist comes standard for the Leaf SV Plus, and brings a full suite of advanced driver aids that include adaptive cruise control, driver alertness features, and a surround-view monitor. All Leaf models get Nissan Safety Shield 360, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warnings, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, automatic high beams, and rear automatic braking.

2023 Nissan LeafThe Leaf SV Plus offers up to 212 miles of range.Nissan

The new Leaf starts at $28,895, which includes a $1,095 destination charge. The Leaf SV Plus starts at $36,895. The 2023 Nissan Leaf is on sale now, and may be eligible for federal tax credits of up to $7,500. Depending on where you live, you may also be able to receive a state tax credit or other incentives.

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The EQB lands this summer with a not-so-bad starting price.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is pressing ahead with its electrification goals. Following the release of the EQS flagship electric sedan last year, the automaker is readying the EQB, an electric SUV with up to seven seats. Today, Mercedes announced pricing for the vehicle, and it's surprisingly reasonable. Two trim levels will be offered for the EQB in the United States: Exclusive and Pinnacle, and wecould see an AMG variant at some point down the road.

The EQB comes in two variants, including the EQB 300 and EQB 350, both of which come with all-wheel drive. The EQB 300 offers 225 horsepower and the 350 delivers 288 ponies. Those aren't super-serious numbers and they don't have to be. The EQB competes with vehicles like the Volkswagen ID.4, so mind-blowing performance isn't exactly the goal. Mercedes hasn't given range estimates yet, but they should fall in line with the competition.

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQBThe EQB will come in two powertrain variants, each with two trims.Mercedes-Benz

The SUV comes standard with a 10.25-inch configurable digital gauge cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen. Mercedes includes a good list of standard safety features, including lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, and active brake assist. Additionally, the EQB's navigation system routes the vehicle for the best efficiency and can help locate charging stations.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 starts at $56,800, including a $1,050 destination charge. A range-topping Pinnacle trim is available for $59,350. The EQB 350 starts at $60,350. Mercedes says the SUV will go on sale in summer 2022.

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