FRENCH car pooling firm BlaBlaCar has announced the launch of a pilot project that will offer preferential car deals to its most active members via an app.

BlaBlaCar’s so called ambassadors, their most active members, will have access to a selection of cars available in ‘car-as-a-service’ packages, including lower-priced leasing, warranty and maintenance services.

Ambassadors will benefit from a €20 discount on their lease for every month when they share journeys on BlaBlaCar, with the possibility to save on car costs through carpooling.

The offer is a result of the partnership between three mobility players, carpooling platform BlaBlaCar, leasing company ALD Automotive and car manufacturer Opel/Vauxhall.

Together they plan to provide access to cars through a combination of zero-deposit finance, monthly payments and fully-inclusive maintenance packages, with flexible mileage over the years.

Nicolas Brusson, ceo of BlaBlaCar, said:

“The BlaBlaCar community will purchase more than 1.3 million cars in 2017. The idea here is to leverage the strength of this community to unlock deals that would not otherwise be widely available to our members and pioneer a new approach to car ownership based on usage. We want to return value to our Ambassadors by allowing their carpooling activity to generate significant additional savings on the cost of their vehicle.”

The selection of vehicles has been chosen based on a survey of over 28,000 French Ambassadors, who also revealed their past experiences, preferences and concerns when purchasing a car.

ALD Automotive is now focusing on the mobility needs of individuals whilst associating with BlaBlaCar to offer its Ambassadors a long-term car-leasing offer.

“This new partnership is a key step for private leasing which is gathering momentum among consumers,” said Fabrice Denoual, deputy ceo of ALD Automotive France.

“Moreover, we are proud to partner with a company as dynamic and innovative as BlaBlaCar. ALD Automotive is now positioning itself as a key mobility player for corporates and individuals.”

“We are very much looking forward to teaming up with BlaBlaCar”, said Eric Wepierre, managing director of GM France. “The Ambassadors of BlaBlaCar will get access at preferred conditions to a selection of Opel bestsellers like the Corsa, Astra or Mokka X that fit their own needs as well as the desires of their passengers – such as WiFi with the possibility to connect up to seven mobile devices. Our partnership with BlaBlaCar is another step on our way to not only being a car manufacturer but also a leading provider of mobility solutions.”

The global mobility landscape is evolving as a combination of financial, practical, environmental and social factors drive a shift towards shared car usage. Such schemes as that provided by BlaBlaCar, ALD and Opel will help cater to these new consumer behaviours.

“This is only a first step for BlaBlaCar, as we explore further innovative ways to build value for our members across the wider automotive ecosystem,” added Nicolas Brusson.

“We’re excited to offer this opportunity to our ambassadors, who really are the leaders of the sharing revolution. We believe that the future of the car is a shared car.”