- This alliance seeks to get people to know electric mobility in the city and thus contribute to Bogotá’s transformation.
- Through a digital app, users will be able to rent electric vehicles which will be located at different Éxito stores and Carulla supermarkets in Bogotá.
CODENSA, an Enel Group company in Colombia, along with Grupo Éxito and the Car-B, a specialist in car rental for hours, launched in Bogotá a new pilot program in order for citizens to rent electric vehicles for hours as an alternative for a more sustainable mobility.
This pilot program will feature 12 electric vehicles provided by CODENSA which may be rented through the mobile app and the technology platform owned by Car-B which will act as an operator in this alliance. In turn, Éxito stores and Carulla supermarkets in Bogotá will contribute parking lot spaces to keep the vehicles in order for customers to pick them up and return them.
The first five vehicles will be located at the new Carulla supermarket on Calle 102 no. 19 and were launched for purposes of the new concept presented by Grupo Éxito called: “Carulla Fresh Market”. The remaining seven electric vehicles will be available in other parking lots of Éxito stores and Carulla supermarkets by the end of November and will be announced as soon as they are available.
“This alliance represents another milestone toward the commitment we have at the Enel Group companies regarding growing use of electric vehicles in the city. We want to contribute to Bogotá’s transformation towards a smart city and a more sustainable place for its citizens,” said Lucio Rubio, Enel General Manager in Colombia.
“To join forces is what allows us to reach more people and have a greater impact through our actions. For that reason, we, in Carulla and Éxito, are proud of being part of this innovative alliance with CODENSA and Car-B to promote a sustainable mobility. Our joint challenge through the proposal of using a shared electric car is to raise awareness among users and significantly contribute to care for our planet,” said Guillaume Seneclauze, Carulla brand manager.
How will rental of electric vehicles work
People, interested in using this service, must register to the digital app or Car-B’s website, entering your information at least three days before making the first reservation. The app is available on Google Play for Android and on the App Store for IOS devices.
Once the inscription is validated by Car-B and the user is activated, people will be able to make a reservation for as long as required, determine the location of the closes vehicle, as well as the place of return.
The rental cost of these electric vehicles will be determined for hours used and it will range between COP 18,000 and COP 22,000. This will depend on whether the customer is a frequent user or a casual user. Said rate includes taxes, recharge, insurance, washing, assistance and maintenance.
“Through Car-B’s technology we are aiming to drive growing usage of electric vehicles in Bogotá first and in other Colombian cities afterwards. For this aim, we have joined two large domestic companies, with which we share the purpose of helping reduce air pollution in our cities and in turn, improve mobility, claimed Zulma Guzmán, Car-B president and founder.
Electric vehicles and their benefits
Electric vehicles of this pilot program will be Mitsubishi i-MiEV which feature a range of approximately 100 km per charge.
Electric vehicles contribute significantly to the environment as they do not pollute for being zero emissions and do not make any noise which makes them very comfortable for users and citizens. Each one of these vehicles stops producing up to 7 tons of CO2 to the environment for each 100 km travelled per day.
Through this alliance, users will not only have an innovative alternative for travelling around the city, but they will be contributing to the environment through a clean and sustainable mobilization.
It is worth noting that during the three years this pilot program will last, CODENSA, Grupo Éxito and Car-B will analyze the results to identify market acceptance, the cities where the cars have been more used and the indicators of CO2 emission reduction.
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ABOUT THE ENEL GROUP – CODENSA AND EMGESA
CODENSA and EMGESA are part of the Enel Group, a multinational energy company and one of the main global integrated operators in the electricity and gas sector. The Group operates in more than 30 countries from four continents, generating energy through an installed net capacity of around 83 GW and distributing electricity and gas to a network of around 2 million kilometers. With more than 65 million users in the world, the Enel Group has the largest customer base compared to its European competitors. The Enel Group is the biggest integrated utility company in Europe in terms of market capitalization, and it is one of the main electricity companies in Europe in terms of installed capacity and reported EBITDA.
Codensa S.A. E.S.P. is a leading electricity distribution and sales company on the market, with more than 3,200,000 clients in Bogotá, Cundinamarca, 8 municipalities in Boyacá, 1 in Tolima, 1 in Caldas and 1 in Meta. Established in 1997, Codensa has an installed capacity of 20,745 MVA (megavolt amperes) along 71,290 kilometers of high, medium and low voltage networks. The Company generates around 14,000 jobs both directly and indirectly in Colombia.