According to a recent press release, Canadian environment-conscious tech ecosystem Facedrive has launched its electric vehicle (EV) subscription service, ‘Steer’, in Toronto, Ontario.
Originally launched in Washington, D.C, and with 130+ EVs and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) currently in circulation, Steer is a Transport as a Service (TaaS) platform that provides users with the ability to basically ‘rent’ a premium, environment-friendly transportation solution on-demand on a month-to-month basis through a simple mobile app.
It’s kind of like ordering an Uber or Lyft, except you get to drive it yourself and keep it as your own for as long as you subscribe to the service.
Steer currently offers two different subscription tiers in Toronto:  the ‘Practical Member’ tier that offers the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, and the ‘Premier Member’ tier which provides subscribers with the Tesla Model X and Model S.
The subscription fee for each tier covers the car itself, driver’s insurance, routine maintenance and repair costs, and concierge service designed to facilitate vehicle swaps.
“The expansion of Steer to Canada marks a watershed moment for environmentally responsible transport in Canada, and we are thrilled that Canadians will now have hassle free, on demand, and flexible access to high-quality EVs with a few clicks on their smartphone,” said Sayan Navaratnam, Chairman of the Board and CEO of parent company Facedrive.
Toronto will serve as a proving ground for the service, with success in the market encouraging Facedrive to expedite Steer’s expansion across Canada and the U.S.. Steer has already seen over 1,000 registrations since its launch in Toronto, with subscriptions growing steadily.
Not only does Steer provide an excellent opportunity for those considering switching to an EV to test out prospects before actually making a purchase, but the service may also play a significant role in speeding up EV adoption by providing an alternative to the traditional car purchase and ownership model.
