Car-sharing service has eyes on Hawaii

More transportation options will be available for Honolulu residents as the second car-sharing company comes to Hawaii.

Ulm, Germany-based car-sharing service car2go is looking to expand to Honolulu.

Car-sharing gives customers access to cars using smartphones or smartcards. The customers are typically charged by the minute or hour once they get behind the wheel, and can reserve cars online.

"We are looking to launch in Honolulu," saidAdrianne Andang, head of communications for car2go North America.

"Honolulu is a place we are so keen on launching and really excited to share the news with the community and potential members."

The Daimler subsidiary has more than 800,000 members in 29 cities around the world and is interested in making its Smart Fortwo cars available for public use in Honolulu. The car-sharing service is currently advertising for positions in Honolulu.

Car2go offers its eco-friendly Smart Fortwo vehicles to drivers who book online. Reservations can be made as close as 30 minutes before a customer needs the vehicle.

There is a fee of $35 to become a car2go member. Drivers are billed by the minute or hour, or are charged for daily use.

The average price is 41 cents per minute, $14.99 per hour and $84.99 daily with parking, fuel, insurance, maintenance and cleaning included.

Other car-sharING companies include Zipcar, City Carshare and Enterprise CarShare.

Of those three, only Enterprise operates in Honolulu. In September, Enterprise expanded its pay-by-the-hour car rental program to eight public locations in the downtown Honolulu and Waikiki areas.

The short-term rental program offered by Enterprise Rent-A-Car has been on Oahu since 2012 with programs available to students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Hawaii Pacific University, as well as residents of Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe. The expanded service will have 20 vehicles available for rent at the additional sites.

Similar to car2go, Enterprise CarShare customers can reserve the vehicle they want and the length of time they want to rent it online.