Electric car sharing scheme Yoogo eyes Auckland expansion

Yoogo started with 100 electric cars in Christchurch. Photo / Supplied

An electric car sharing scheme that started in Christchurch over a year ago is now looking to expand into Auckland.

Yoogo will seek greener pastures in the City of Sails after slower growth in Christchurch than initially hoped.

Yoogo is already in Auckland but has just two cars in the city and must be picked up and dropped off at the ANZ Centre car park on Albert St.

They can be booked by the minute and unlocked via an app and picked up.

Yoogo's website lists the following prices:

• Yoogo Share Minute - $0.46
• Yoogo Share Hour - $16.00
• Yoogo Share Day (8am-5pm) - $95
• Yoogo Share Night (5pm-8am)- $29
• Yoogo Share Weekend (Fri 5pm-Mon 8am) - $99

Kirsten Corson, general manager of Yoogo, told RNZ the public take-up of the scheme required a higher number of apartment dwellers without cars than what Christchurch currently had.

"Our business works on a 24 hour utilisation. So in a city where you've got people living within the CBD, which is where the majority of our cars are, that's obviously really favourable for us."

Yoogo started with 100 electric cars in Christchurch which were mostly leased by large businesses and the Christchurch City Council, RNZ reported.

The scheme takes out the costs of ownership, including WOF, rego, insurance and other maintenance worries.

According to Yoogo's website, to become a member you need to be over 21 years of age and have held a full valid driver license for three years.