car2go Launches "ride2provide" To Help car2go Communities To Work Together To Give Back

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

CLICK TO TWEET: car2go Launches #ride2provide to Help Members to Work Together To Give Back – car2go To Donate Directly to .@WholePlanet

car2go North America LLC, the fastest-growing global carsharing company, announced that it has launched "ride2provide," a donation feature to be integrated into the car2go mobile app for iPhone and android iOS beginning today, August 4^th.  The new initiative seeks to help car2go communities across its 15 locations and over 400,000 members in North America to work together in donating to a charitable cause, and will first kick off with a 90-day partnership with Whole Planet Foundation as the program's first exclusive charity.

With the new "ride2provide" feature, car2go members across North America will have the opportunity to view a number of "heart cars" labeled with $1 donations based on their current location within the Home Area, where members can pick up and drop off a vehicle.  Members will then be able to select a "heart car" that they would like to use for their trip.  For each "heart car" used, car2go will contribute a lump sum donation directly to the Whole Planet Foundation to support its efforts in alleviating global poverty through microcredit and entrepreneurship programs in 60 countries around the world, including the U.S.

"Since car2go's inception, we have long supported our members by helping them get from Point A to Point B with complete ease," said Paul DeLong, Chief Marketing Officer of car2go North America.  "Our support for Whole Planet Foundation reinforces our commitment to the communities we serve, and we hope that by connecting our members through ride2provide, we can harness this power and help aspiring entrepreneurs around the world build a stronger future for us all."

"Purpose-driven partners like car2go help us to fund opportunities for the world's poorest entrepreneurs," said Philip Sansone, president and executive director for Whole Planet Foundation. "Thanks to car2go and the ride2provide initiative, we hope to raise enough funds to provide an additional 2,000 microentrepreneurs with a small loan and a chance to start or expand their own home-based business and lift themselves out of poverty."

About car2go North America LLC
car2go North America LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler North America Corporation and a brand of moovel GmbH, offers an innovative mobility solution in rapidly growing urban areas via a carsharing network of eco-friendly smart fortwo vehicles around the world.  A flexible and "on demand" mode of transportation, car2go complements existing public transportation by bridging the gaps between the "first and last mile" of a member's commute.  Today, car2go is the largest, fastest-growing carsharing program in the world with more than 800,000 registered members in 27 cities across the globe.

The innovation and environmental sustainability of car2go have earned international acclaim, including "Best Carshare" from the Vancouver Courier, "2014 Best CarSharing App" from Best of D.C., recognition from the Austin Chamber of Commerce with the "Greater Austin Business Award" for its positive impact on the city's traffic, and the prestigious "2010 EPA Clean Air Excellence Award" from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Further information on car2go is available at car2go.com and media.daimler.com/ms/car2go/e.

About Daimler
Daimler AG is one of the world's most successful automotive companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services, the Daimler Group is one of the biggest producers of premium cars and the world's biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles with a global reach. Daimler Financial Services provides financing, leasing, fleet management, insurance and innovative mobility services. The company's founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of the automobile in the year 1886. As a pioneer of automotive engineering, Daimler continues to shape the future of mobility today: The Group's focus is on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior automobiles that appeal to and fascinate its customers. For many years now, Daimler has been investing continually in the development of alternative drive systems with the goal of making emission-free driving possible in the long term. So in addition to vehicles with hybrid drive, Daimler now has the broadest range of locally emission-free electric vehicles powered by batteries and fuel cells. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly accepts the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society and the environment. Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities on five continents. Its current brand portfolio includes, in addition to the world's most valuable premium automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz, the brands smart, Freightliner, Western Star, BharatBenz, Fuso, Setra and Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of Frankfurt and Stuttgart (stock exchange symbol DAI). In 2013, the Group sold 2.35 million vehicles and employed a workforce of 274,616 people; revenue totaled €118.0 billion and EBIT amounted to €10.8 billion.

About Whole Planet Foundation
Founded in 2005, Whole Planet Foundation is a Whole Foods Market foundation that alleviates poverty worldwide where the company sources products.  The nonprofit's mission is to empower the very poor living with microcredit and the chance to create or expand a home-based business and lift themselves and their families out of poverty, with a focus on the developing world. As of March 2014, Whole Planet Foundation is funding micro lending programs through microfinance institution partners in the U.S. and 59 other countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the U.S., supporting over 3,375,000 people with a chance for a better life. To date, the nonprofit has authorized more than $49.1 million dollars through microlending partners worldwide. Learn more and donate online at wholeplanetfoundation.org.

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SOURCE car2go North America LLC