With resident expectations at an all-time high, the introduction of on-demand, shareable electric vehicles (EVs) could be an unexpected amenity that residents—and the environment—appreciate.
In California, Goldrich Kest has looped in EV Mobility, an EV car-sharing platform, to its Museum Towers community in Los Angeles and The Highland community in Hollywood. By downloading the EV Mobility app, residents are able to access luxury Teslas that are rentable by the hour or day.
“Many of our Museum Towers and The Highland residents don’t own cars because each building is situated in communities with high Walk Scores thanks to their proximity to myriad restaurants, shopping destinations, theaters, and other cultural institutions,” says Paul Dubord, managing director of property management and operations at Goldrich Kest.
“For those occasions in which they may want to venture out of the immediate area, Teslas on demand are conveniently accessible right in our building's parking lot. Now they can enjoy the convenience, cost savings, and environmental benefits of driving an electric-powered Tesla," Dubord adds.
EV Mobility’s team regularly maintains and services each vehicle that is available to tenants. “So you can only imagine having a Tesla at the ready without the hassle of owning and maintaining it,” says Ramy El-Batrawi, CEO of EV Mobility.
Residential community Newport, developed in partnership by the LeFrak Organization and Simon Property Group, in New Jersey has entered an agreement with Envoy, another EV-sharing platform that offers a fleet of dedicated Teslas on-site. “We all have to do what we can to protect our environment. This is why we at Newport are excited about this partnership,” says Jeremy Farrell, managing director of development and community relations of LeFrak.
The community-based EV service allows residential developments, hotels, and office buildings access to zero-emission transportation at hourly or daily rates. Through the Envoy app, residents can book a car and avoid the costs of car insurance and cleaning fees, as well as the responsibility of charging the vehicles.
”We are excited for Envoy’s entry into New Jersey and to collaborate with Newport to bring Mobility as an amenity to this incredible waterfront community and allow residents and tenants to take advantage of more sustainable means of transportation, easily and conveniently,” says Aric Ohana, CEO of Envoy.
“As the car-sharing service market continues to gain popularity and grow around the U.S., we look forward to working alongside organizations such as LeFrak and Simon Property Group to advance the industry and provide a valuable service to communities everywhere.”
Other multifamily firms have additionally adopted the WhipEV program for their communities. WhipEV estimates that one shared Tesla can serve 30 residents, adding mobility capacity without the costs of building parking capacity.
The program could reduce annual building expenses by at least $100,000 and offer residents an annual savings of roughly $9,000, WhipEV shares. Similar to EV Mobility and Envoy, WhipEV is deployed through an app and saves residents the costs of insurance, charging, cleaning, and maintenance.
