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BMW's DriveNow car sharing shutting down in SF next month

BMW's DriveNow car-sharing service is suspending operations in San Francisco next month after more than three years. The culprit? Not enough parking spots in the City. BMW debuted both DriveNow car-sharing and its ParkNow service in the City by the Bay in August 2012, initially launching with the ActiveE plug-in vehicle and later moving over to the i3. While there probably wasn't a shortage of folks looking to drive those cars, it was the ending part of that equation that proved problematic. That's because San Francisco hasn't been able to clear out enough street-parking spots to make the program work properly, despite adding 80 spaces for the 150 cars in the program back in 2014. "We hope to return to San Francisco in the future and will continue to engage with the City on possible solutions that will allow you to experience the full benefits of our one-way car sharing service," said DriveNow CEO Richard Sternberg on the company's website. "In the meantime, we are focusing our efforts on new cities where our transportation solution can flourish. We would like to thank you for your loyal support and embracing flexible car sharing as an alternative transportation method." As far as that expansion to other US cities, BMW hasn't been specific. Bimmer also runs the DriveNow program in three Germany cities as well as Copenhagen, Vienna and London. So, DriveNow apparently has an easier time finding parking spots in London than in San Francisco. Why BMW couldn't use a flexible parking system for its one-way rentals like the similar Car2go program uses remains a mystery. Related Gallery BMW i3 Available Through DriveNow In Germany View 17 Photos News Source: DriveNow via BMW BlogImage Credit: DriveNow/Facebook Green BMW California parking drivenow

BMW 3 Series eDrive plug-in hybrid spotted in development

BMW has shown its commitment to the development of hybrid and electric powertrains in recent years, with vehicles in its ActiveHybrid range, electrics like its BMW ActiveE and range-extended EVs like the i3 and i8. Plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles are clearly top-of-mind for the German automaker. We saw spy shots of the PHEV BMW X5 eDrive prototypes about a year ago, and now our shooters have come through with a 3 Series-bodied version of the technology, as well.
In addition to the obvious "Hybrid Test Vehicle" designation you see on the bodysides of this 3er, we also note that a second 'fuel cap' - presumably hiding the electric charge point - is in evidence. It's a fairly safe assumption that this 3 Series is making use of the same turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electric motor configuration that the X5 eDrive used. In the case of the X5, that meant a top electric-only speed of 75 miles per hour, with a range of just under 20 miles, and 0-62 mph in under 7 seconds. With considerably lighter, compact sedan bodywork clothing the PHEV drivetrain, we'd guess that the 3 Series eDrive could improve on each of those numbers.

President Obama will be on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

The seventh season of Jerry Seinfeld's excellent Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee will debut on Wednesday, December 30, and if this first trailer is any indication, the guest lineup is damn impressive. But rather than building up to one big guest over the course of the season, the show is starting with one of the biggest guests possible – the president of the United States. President Barack Obama will join Seinfeld behind the wheel of what looks like a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray for a trip around the South Lawn of the White House. According to CBS, the pair will enjoy their coffee in the staff dining room, which is probably a better idea than crippling Washington, D.C., with a Stingray-led motorcade. Aside from the president, Seinfeld has recruited a couple comedy icons, including first-timers Will Ferrell and Steve Martin. Also appearing are Garry Shandling, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Kathleen Madigan. The four-wheeled stars will include the Corvette, a Plymouth Superbird, a Chevy Camaro, a classic Porsche 911, a BMW 2002, and what we think is a (rather troublesome) 1952 Siata 208 8V Coupe Balbo. You can check out the entire trailer up at the top of the page. News Source: Crackle via YouTube Celebrities TV/Movies BMW Chevrolet Porsche Coupe Performance Classics Videos jerry seinfeld comedians in cars getting coffee cicgc will ferrell