GM adds peer-to-peer car sharing to Maven platform

General Motors is expanding its Maven mobility service to include privately owned and leased vehicles. Until now, the car-sharing platform only offered a fleet of GM-owned vehicles.

With the launch of Maven’s “Peer Cars” service - initially available in Chicago, Detroit and Ann Arbor, MI - owners and eligible lessees of most 2015 and newer GM cars and trucks can make their vehicles available for rent and earn cash in return.

“Your car is one of the most expensive things you own. Sitting idle, it is a wasted asset,” says Julia Steyn, vice president of General Motors Urban Mobility and Maven.

“It’s time to put your car to work. Maven’s peer-to-peer offering is a smart way for owners to offset their vehicle investment.”

The system will suggest a rental price, but owners have the final say and they keep 60% of the revenue.

Maven launched in January 2016.

Members - now numbering 150,000, according to GM -  can rent cars by the hour, the day, the week or the month. Since launch, more than 180,000 reservations have been made.

All vehicles are insured through GM’s $1,000,000 liability policy, and the company says it vets all members before they are approved to use the service.

“Maven is a platform designed for sharing and we’ve proven demand exists,” Steyn says.

“In this beta, we are excited to offer GM owners the opportunity to capitalize on this demand and earn income by listing their vehicles.”

The company plans to make Peer Cars available in additional markets around the United States in the fall.