I am a huge fan of anything that reduces our collective carbon footprint. So when car2go announced that they’re releasing a fleet of brand new, all electric 2014 models to their San Diego members, I jumped at the chance to try one out.
If you’ve ever spent any time around downtown San Diego, you’ve seen them. The little white and blue smart cars are parked on almost every street corner. Car2go is the largest carsharing company in the world, but did you know that San Diego is the only city in the country with an all-electric fleet? Makes you feel pretty good about our city, doesn’t it?
When I buckled in for my test drive, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I ride a Harley and drive a pick-up truck, so really tiny vehicles normally don’t get my juices flowing. But a pretty cool thing about the new car2go model is that it can go as fast as 85 mph, compared to older models that would only do 65. Another neat feature is that you can park for free, even in metered spots. Plus, there are designated car2go parking spots and charging stations all over downtown.
The main concerns I had, though, were that there wouldn’t be enough leg room, and that it wouldn’t be very safe to drive a vehicle that could basically fit through my front door. Turns out, my legs had plenty of room. And apparently all smart cars are built with a safety structure inspired by racecar roll cages. Which probably makes them about a gazillion times safer than my motorcycle.
Since San Diego is a very car-dependent city, most of us already have our own type of transportation. But as a rainy day backup for the avid cyclist, or a hassle free ride to downtown on a Friday night, or a much cheaper alternative to long term airport parking, car2go is definitely a solid—and fun—option.
I Tried It: The New car2go
