INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An electric car-sharing service that debuted in Indianapolis in 2015 is pulling the plug on its network of rechargable cars after residents failed to embrace the vehicles.
Blue Indy will end its collaboration with the city of Indianapolis on May 21, saying in a statement that the car-sharing service would end "because we did not reach the level of activity required to be economically viable.”
When Bolloré Logistics launched Blue Indy in Indiana's capital in September 2015, the Paris-based company predicted it would be operating profitably by 2020, with at least 15,000 members, 200 stations and 500 cars.
But as of August, Blue Indy had just 3,000 active members, a fifth of the total it had projected that it needed for profitability. And it had 92 stations and 200 cars — 80 fewer than it had two years ago.
The Blue Indy project cost about $50 million, with the company investing $41 million, the city contributing $6 million and Indianapolis Power & Light Co. covering the remaining $3 million.
The company did not say what would happen to the cars' charging stations, which can be found all over Indianapolis.
James Delgado, managing director for Blue Indy and vice president of business development for Bollore’s Blue Systems, said Indianapolis can still benefit from the infrastructure that Blue Indy leaves behind.
“If the city decides to maintain the current charging infrastructure already in place, it will have a network of 455 charging points strategically set up across the city including locations at all major universities, the airport, and popular destinations in downtown Indianapolis and the surrounding areas," he said.
