We Tried Out The French Electric Car-Sharing Service That's On Its Way To The US
Some stations have kiosks where you can sign up for the service (or hide from the rain).
Make sure you have a credit card, ID, and a driver's license (International or European only) with you, then choose your language (French or English).
You sign up via video conference. The quality isn't great, but it does the job. You can start the sign-up process online, but need to complete it at a kiosk.
If you're already a member, check the station map online before you go to grab a car — notice there are lots of empty stations. The upside is that you can reserve an available car for enough time to allow you to get there before someone else takes it.
The kiosk will select a car for you.
If the battery is less than 55% full, you can't take it.
To take a car, press your badge against the charger and unplug the cord. Your badge also unlocks the car door.
The 100% electric Bolloré cars have room for four and offer no luxury features. You don' even get air conditioning (it would drain too much precious battery power).
Just look at the gear shifter.
One problem is that there's no real way to track if someone damages the car. The result is that things aren't so pristine.
A screen above the dash lets you know how much power you have left. Here, it says "To start, turn the key all the way." The key, by the way, stays with the car.
There is a navigation system, with a network of all the stations built in. You can enter an address, or find a station with an available spot.
You pay between 5€ and 7€ for every half hour you have the car. Once you're back at the station, find an available spot and plug the charger in.
To prevent vandalism, only those with a working badge can open the charger or unplug a car.
Overall, it's a convenient, affordable system that works well. And that's enough to make us jealous of Indianapolis.
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