In a surprise move, GM has said it will partner with rideshare firm Uber to provide drivers with GM vehicles under its Maven carshare umbrella. GM is already cooperating with Uber rival Lyft, in which it has taken a stake.
GM said that Maven, General Motors‘ personal mobility brand, and Uber Technologies, Inc., will team up “to provide people who want to drive and earn money on the Uber platform the option to lease qualified vehicles by the week or longer at discounted rates with no mileage limits”.
The 90-day pilot will launch in San Francisco as part of Uber’s Vehicle Solutions program, which provides driver-partners flexible options to access vehicles they can drive on the Uber platform.
“Today we announced an additional step for Maven to engage with professional partners across the car-sharing and ridesharing industry,” said Julia Steyn, GM vice president of Urban Mobility. “Only 10 months after launching Maven, we have implemented viable business-to-business platforms that GM can leverage to manage residual values for ex-lease and fleet vehicles.”
As part of the pilot, people who’ve signed up to drive with Uber will be able to find a qualifying vehicle at a conveniently located pickup location in San Francisco. Vehicles offered in the pilot will include the Chevrolet Cruze, Malibu and Trax. Insurance coverage is included in the cost of every lease for a weekly price of $179 plus taxes and fees. There are no additional fees if a driver utilizes the vehicle for personal use. The comprehensive Chevrolet dealer network will provide support for servicing needs.
“This is the latest in our efforts to provide driver partners with greater flexibility and more options to access vehicles in a way that works for them. This partnership with Maven combines our vast ridesharing network with GM’s extensive fleet vehicles and gives people without access to a car the ability to easily make money driving on the Uber platform,” said Rachel Holt, regional general manager, United States and Canada.
