BMW and Daimler will combine their transportation services
They want to dominate car sharing, EV charging and beyond.
If it seems ridiculous that virtually every major car manufacturer has its own suite of transportation services, you're not alone. BMW and Daimler have announced a plan to combine their mobility services in a 50/50 joint venture. Car2Go and DriveNow/ReachNow will unite their car sharing efforts, for example, while ChargeNow and Digital Charging Solutions would team up on EV power. Ride hailing, parking are also part of the proposed union.
The two are hoping regulators will clear the services merger sometime in 2018. They're clearly aware of the potential qualms over anti-competitive behavior, as they stress that they'll remain competitors in car manufacturing.
The aim, as you might suspect, is to gain a controlling stake in a future where car ownership declines and electric cars take over. Ford, GM and other big brands have all launched or experimented with their own services -- there's a chance that BMW and Daimler could be overwhelmed if they kept up the status quo. We wouldn't be surprised to see more alliances like this as mobility services mature and it becomes clearer which companies are leading the pack.
