An Albany-based carsharing non-profit has added its first electric vehicle to its fleet.
A shiny new Capital CarShare BMW i3 was unveiled Wednesday outside The News Apartments in Troy.
Officials with the Albany-based non-profit say Troy's newest Capital CarShare vehicle is the first electric car in a fleet of 11 vehicles.
Troy Mayor Patrick Madden says he's thrilled to have an electric car charging station right in the middle of downtown. "I'm delighted that Capital CarShare is doing so well that they've added this, the third car to the city of Troy, and we look forward to more of their carshares throughout the city."
BMW North America donated a charging station on Sixth Avenue.
Jeff Mirel, Executive Vice President of The Rosenblum Companies, developer of the $23+ million mixed use The News Apartments, says Rosenblum is providing free power for the charging station. "You know it really starts and ends with the community for us, and so we're not just proud that we're able to host CarShare as an amenity for our residents, but that we're able to offer that to the whole neighborhood."
Mirel noted that as part of the partnership between The Rosenblum Companies and Capital CarShare, residents of The News Apartments get a CarShare discount.
Joe Bonilla is Capital CarShare board chair. "For us this is a step in the right direction. We're still looking at growth. Every month we see membership growth. Our trips are getting longer and certainly the number of miles people drive. And we always love hearing the stories of those who thought they had to be married to a car in terms of ownership of a car. And now with Capital CarShare, folks who may only need a vehicle from work to home or to do errands and groceries or just more less are trying to reduce their, simplify their life really, they can do that with Capital CarShare."
Bonilla says the company is looking to branch out into other communities. "Troy's been fantastic to us. Albany certainly has. And certainly Capital CarShare could expand to Cohoes, Rensselaer, Schenectady. The potential is limitless."
