WeShare launch in Berlin

Volkswagen is launching its e-car sharing service WeShare in Berlin with 1,500 e-Golf vehicles. An additional 500 e-up! vehicles will follow early next year and the new all-electric Volkswagen ID.3 will be included in the line-up after it arrives on the market in mid-2020.

Speaking at the official WeShare launch event in DRIVE, Christian Senger, Volkswagen Board of Management Member for Digital Car & Services, said: “WeShare is aimed at people who do not own a car, or those who would rather not use their own vehicle for certain journeys – or someone like me, who is only in Berlin from time to time.”

“We don’t see WeShare as a competitor or a substitute for public transport. On the contrary: we see it as a useful supplement in situations where a car is more convenient or comfortable. WeShare also represents a sustainable approach to car sharing. All of the vehicles are fully electric, with zero exhaust gases and quiet operation. The nice side effect is that electric cars are a lot of fun to drive.”

The fact that WeShare is being launched in Berlin is no coincidence. Berlin is the most dynamic city when it comes to car sharing. This has a lot to do with the size of the population, the relatively low number of privately-owned cars, and Berlin’s geographical layout with multiple centralized districts. Research and surveys have revealed that Berliners are very open to car-sharing services. According to plans for 2020, WeShare will expand first to Prague, in cooperation with ŠKODA, and then to Hamburg.

The WeShare operating zone will initially cover around 150 square kilometres – from the city centre to just beyond the S-Bahnring train line that encircles it – and later expand as the vehicle fleet grows. WeShare uses Berlin’s public charging network to recharge the vehicles as well as the new charging points at 70 Lidl and Kaufland grocery stores.

Download the app and go

The WeShare app is available for free from the Google Play and Apple App stores.

New customers signing up during the market launch can benefit from the lower rate of 19 eurocents per minute and save the €19.90 registration and airport fees. Starting in September, rates will be divided into three categories starting at an average of 29 eurocents per minute.