GIG Car Share Officially Launches In Sacramento

Powered by AAA Northern California, GIG Car Share brings the nation’s largest all-electric car share fleet to California’s capital city

SACRAMENTO, CA, April 25, 2019 – In the same week the world celebrates Earth Day, GIG Car Share, the one-way car sharing service powered by AAA Northern California, is now fully operational in Sacramento, the company announced today.

With 260 all-electric Gigs now in service, Sacramento residents have access to a new zero emission mobility option that’s as affordable as owning a car, but without the hassle. The Sacramento service is the nation’s largest all-electric car share fleet.

“GIG Car Share is a unique transportation service because you only pay for the time you’re using the car, and Gig covers the insurance, parking and charging costs,” said Jason Haight, President of GIG Car Share. “Our Members love Gig because the service is as convenient as owning your own car, but they don’t need to worry about shopping for car insurance, registering their car or paying for smog checks.”

While most privately owned cars sit unused the majority of the time, a free-floating car service like Gig can be used by multiple drivers throughout the day. A study by UC Berkeley showed that car share models like Gig can remove between seven to 11 privately owned vehicles from the road as more people use car sharing, often in conjunction with public transit and other alternative transportation options. It doesn’t cost anything to be a Gig Member. You don’t need to be a AAA Member to drive a Gig, but AAA Members receive a 10 percent discount on their trips.

Sacramento’s all-electric Gigs — 2019 Chevy Bolts — are available in Midtown, Downtown, East Sacramento, Land Park, Oak Park, Tahoe Park and other Central City neighborhoods. Users can find, unlock and start the cars by using the GIG Car Share app. Although trips start and end in a designated HomeZone, a 13-square-mile area covering the Central City and several neighborhoods to the south and east, a Gig can be driven anywhere in the US. All-inclusive rates are charged by the minute, hour or day, and Gig automatically calculates the lowest rate: $0.40 per minute, $15 per hour or $85 per day. After a Member is finished with their trip, they can park the Gig in any residential permitted or metered spots that are one hour and longer and not otherwise restricted — with no need to feed the meter. New Members using the promo code SACGIGSIT before May 31 will receive two free hours of driving.

"Gig is thrilled to bring the largest all-electric car sharing service to Sacramento, a city that's becoming recognized as a worldwide leader in zero-emission energy," said Haight. "We couldn't have brought an all-electric service here without the critical investments by Electrify America and the City of Sacramento in next generation energy and transportation infrastructure. A new concept like one-way car sharing is only made possible by leaders committed to finding transportation solutions of today and tomorrow."

The introduction of Gig’s car sharing service is a chief component of a green mobility strategy adopted by the City of Sacramento that includes new protected bike lanes, on-demand bikes and scooters, and electric shuttle, bus and car sharing services. It’s also part of Electrify America’s Sac-to-Zero campaign that is investing $44 million to provide greater access to electric vehicle (EV) options and charging infrastructure across the city. “The city is carrying out a groundbreaking strategy to increase access to and use of green mobility options and to prepare Sacramento for a future of electric vehicles,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “The goal is to make EVs so easy and accessible that it’s how Sacramentans choose to get around.”

GIG Car Share launched in April 2017 in Oakland and Berkeley with 250 hybrid-electric vehicles. As demand for the service grew, Gig added 250 more cars and expanded its HomeZone to the cities of Alameda, Albany and the Richmond District in San Francisco. Gig Members also can leave or pick-up vehicles from multiple satellite parking lots in San Francisco, as well as the Oakland International Airport’s Park ‘N Fly.

The service was developed in AAA Northern California’s innovation lab, A3Ventures, which recently relocated its headquarters to Berkeley as it expanded. In addition to Gig, A3Ventures
launched several other ventures in Northern California over the last two years, including AAA House Manager and GoMentum Station, the largest autonomous vehicle testing facility in the U.S. Sacramentans can learn more how to use GIG Car Share at local community events planned this coming week, where Gig staff will share information and answer questions. Events are free and open to the public at any of these sites:

• Sunday, April 28 – Earth Day Celebration at South Side Park from 11am - 4pm
• Tuesday, April 30 – Sacramento State from 11am-1pm
• Wednesday, May 1 – Wednesday Farmers’ Market from 10:30am – 1:30pm
• Thursday, May 2 – Sac City College from 11am - 1pm
• Friday, May 3 – State Capitol Building from 11am - 1pm

About GIG Car Share
GIG Car Share, a service from AAA Northern California, is a one-way car share operating with 500 hybrid-electric Gigs in the San Francisco Bay Area and 260 all-electric Gigs in Sacramento. The service launched in 2017 as the first venturefrom A3Ventures, AAA’s innovation lab based in Berkeley, Calif. Learn more at gigcarshare.com/sacramento/

About Sac-to Zero
The Sac-to Zero initiative is a coordinated effort between Electrify America, the City of Sacramento and strategic e-transportation partners that include Envoy, GIG Car Share, Sacramento Regional Transit, Yolo County Transportation District, Franklin Neighborhood Development Corporation and UC Davis. Sac-to Zero programs aim to accelerate the use of shared “clean mobility” transportation such as electric vehicles, electric shuttles and other modes of ZEV mobility for Sacramento-area residents and visitors. Learn more at sactozero.com

About Electrify America
Electrify America LLC, which is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, will invest $2 billion over the next 10 years in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure and awareness. The investment will enable millions of Americans to discover the benefits of electric driving and support the build-out of a nationwide network of workplace, community and highway chargers that are convenient and reliable. For more information, visit electrifyamerica.com

Contacts
Michael Blasky
Spokesperson, AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah
[email protected] | 702-378-7557 (cell)