Car2Go is stepping up its game.
The car sharing service on Monday announced that it is adding "thousands" of 2017 model Mercedes-Benz CLA coupes and GLA SUVs to its fleet. The four-door luxury vehicles, which have room for up to five people, will make up the majority of its North American feet by the end of the year.
Car2Go, like Mercedes-Benz, is a Daimler subsidiary. Until now, the company's fleet has been made up exclusively of Smart Fortwo mini-cars.
In a statement, Daimler AG CEO and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Dieter Zetsche said Car2Go is already "the most popular carsharing service in the world." Its main competitor is Zipcar.
The addition of Mercedes-Benz CLA and GLA vehicles to the Car2Go fleet will make the service "even more attractive to small groups of friends and families who want to conveniently travel around cities in style, safety, and comfort," he added.
"At Mercedes-Benz we see the four key pillars for future mobility as connectivity, autonomous driving, carsharing, and electrification," Zetsche said.
Car2Go has more than 2.2 million members, who use an app to locate and unlock their rental. The company charges $0.41 per minute, $14.99 per hour, or $84.99 per day, plus taxes and fees and $0.45 per mile once you hit 150 miles. Pricing for Mercedes-Benz will be "slightly higher" but "still quite affordable," the company said.
The new Mercedes-Benz models are available to members, starting today, in Austin, Portland, Seattle, and the Washington, D.C. area. The fleet will expand to Toronto and Vancouver Canada early next month. Car2Go said it will continue the rollout across its North American locations throughout the year.