Parisians and tourists embraced the citywide bike-sharing program, (Vélib’), that began a year ago, so now Mayor Bertrand Delanoë is suggesting a four-wheeled version, using electric cars!
The plan would allow a driver to pick up a car on the Right Bank, climb the slopes of Montmartre, then drop it off, paying only for the minutes spent behind the wheel.
With the gas prices continuing to rise and parking in Paris, a major headache, drivers are elated by the new project. Others, however, see it as a step backward, assuming it will produce more traffic and dependency on cars, in an already crowded city.
The program, (known as Autolib’), is expected to begin in late 2009, early 2 010 with about 4,000 electric cars, 2,000 in Paris and 2,000 in the burbs.
Car sharing is big in many countries, with companies like Zipcar growing in cities in the United States and elsewhere.
As with Velib’, (the bike-sharing program), Autolib’ would allow drivers to rent cars from one of 700 planned locations and drop them off at any other lot. It is too soon to know certain details, like how the lots would be controlled, whether international tourists would be allowed to rent, or even how much it would cost to rent a car.
Some members of the Green Party in Paris have been vocal critics, even though the motion calls for “electric cars”. They want to curtail car use, period!
There’s not “one” solution to the problems of transportation and climate change, but every effort counts!
We’ll keep you posted on project, as it all unfolds…
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