The growth of electric vehicles This is a reality worldwide, and Brazil is no different. Although hybridization may seem like the most plausible path here at first, the truth is that we are on an irreversible path towards electrification, and a clear example of this is Beepbeep's work in Brazil. 

As many know, we are experts in vehicles and cover a wide variety of topics involving automobiles. 

And today we bring up a topic that, although not exactly new, is still not well-known to many people. 

We're talking about Beepbeep, a car-sharing startup that only... electric vehicles which is already in operation in some Brazilian cities. 

In today's article, we'll show you all about how it works and explain the steps to finally ride an electric motorcycle. 

So, what do you think? Want to get around major cities sustainably and cheaply without any hassle? Just keep reading today's article. 

Ready to leave?

Carsharing, or vehicle sharing, is not yet as widespread in Brazil as it is in European countries. 

But this type of service has been spreading, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, as it avoids crowding on public transport and is one of the most important pieces of advice for avoiding illness. 

To stand out from companies that already offer this type of convenience, such as... TurbiFor example, Beepbeep is betting on a differentiating factor that really catches the eye: a fleet composed of 100% electric cars. 

Car sharing came in the wake of the craze for shared scooters and bicycles, which were a real hit some time ago with companies like Grin and Yellow. 

This movement also coincides with the growth in the use of ride-hailing apps and the trend of some people replacing their own cars with transportation provided by tools offered by different companies and applications. 

While scooters and bicycles had a short lifespan, car sharing remains strong and is experiencing healthy growth. 

Operating in the state of São Paulo since the end of July 2019, Beepbeep serves the cities of São Paulo and São José dos Campos. 

The goal is to expand operations to other locations, such as the city of Barueri, which should soon receive the electric vehicles. Expanding into other states is also in the startup's plans. 

“Users pay more if they decide to take an Uber or a bus between São Paulo and São José dos Campos, so that's why we decided to go to cities in the interior,” says Fábio Fagionato, co-founder of beepbeep.

The company's initial investment was in the range of R$ 3 million to develop an app and purchase electric vehicles. 

The vehicles are based in partner parking lots, including supermarkets, shopping centers, corporate buildings, and hotels, where customers can find them and also leave them. 

Some of these points have a recharging system that allows the system to be recharged in up to two hours. 

Fabio Fagionato, CEO and co-founder of the startup, says that Beepbeep's biggest advantage in betting on electric vehicles is the attractiveness they offer when seeking partnerships due to their appeal to sustainability. 

Although it is an innovative company, Beepbeep faces significant challenges ahead to make the business truly profitable. 

While experience and environmental appeal are important to many people, these factors carry less weight if the price is high. 

Price is a determining factor when a person needs to choose between renting an electric car or driving a vehicle with a combustion engine. 

Therefore, the rental price today is equivalent to traditional models. 

Another challenge faced and overcome by the startup is that electric cars are still more expensive than equivalent traditional models. 

Following Fagionato's lead, the investment for each vehicle was around R$ 150,000, but as we know, as technology advances, especially regarding batteries, the cost should decrease. 

Despite the high cost, Beepbeep is a timely venture due to the popularization of vehicle rental models via apps, on the one hand, and the possibility of the startup being a pioneer in a market with great growth potential.

The idea behind the entire operation is to be well-positioned in the market when larger companies, including automakers, begin launching similar services. 

Although few people know or even remember, Beepbeep is not the first to experiment with this model in Brazil. 

In 2018, the startup Urbano had 60 electric vehicles available for rent in São Paulo. 

The company, which allowed its vehicles to be parked on the street, faced difficulties such as depreciation, theft, and damage due to flooding, in addition to a series of problems when transferring fines to users. 

Since cars aren't parked on the street at Beepbeep, these problems don't happen again, which gives the company a great boost. 

At the end of the year, Urbano ended up changing its business model and is now called Ucorp, dedicated to serving other companies by offering car rental services and digitizing management. 

The startup hasn't given up on working with electric cars and aims to replace 3% to 5% vehicles in each client's fleet annually with these types of vehicles, with the goal of contributing to a more sustainable environment. 

The model used to kick off the entire operation was the Renault Zoe. 

According to the startup's founders, the model ended up being an obvious choice because it has a number of advantages and attributes that align with the company's philosophy, such as technology and performance; design, zero emissions, autonomy, and ease of charging. 

Let's talk about each of these attributes now. 

The Renault Zoe features state-of-the-art technology. With 100% of torque from the start, it goes from 0 to 50km/h in 4 seconds. 

In addition, it has batteries that don't develop a memory effect, energy regeneration, and is designed to ensure maximum component efficiency. 

The model has fewer parts than a combustion engine car, optimizing maintenance and ensuring better energy efficiency.

The innovations of the Renault Zoe go far beyond mobility. With smooth lines, integrated window locks, LED taillights and 16″ diamond-cut wheels, it embodies the electric identity throughout its design and proves its exclusivity in every detail, just like the company. 

With its Zero Emission 40 battery system and electric motor, the Renault Zoe emits no pollutants, engine noise, or gear shift noise; it is a true Zero Emission vehicle.

The model has a battery with a range of over 300 kilometers and regenerative braking technology, in addition to being easy and super fast to recharge.

The Renault Zoe features a charging system that adapts to different power levels; the Chameleon Charger™ captures the maximum amount of available energy, reducing charging time via the WallBox and optimizing your routine.

Although the Renault Zoe is still literally the flagship car, the company has started acquiring other vehicles, such as the iEV40. 

Manufactured by JAC, the iEV40 is one of the cheapest electric cars in Brazil. It was developed in partnership with Volkswagen in China and was unveiled in early 2019.

The design was entirely inspired by the T40 SUV, also from the Chinese automaker. 

Its engine has 115 horsepower and 27.5 kgfm of torque. According to the manufacturer, the batteries in its electric car guarantee the vehicle a range of 300 km, reaching a top speed of 130 km/h.

Among electric cars in Brazil, the iEV40 was once the most affordable. When it first arrived, it cost R$129,990, then it went up to R$139,990, and now it's offered for R$153,500.

The rental of a Beep Beep vehicle It's very simple and is divided into simple steps that include: 

Download the app, register, rent the vehicle, and start driving. It's that simple and straightforward. 

As mentioned earlier, an important point about renting electric vehicles from the startup is the price. 

The cost of renting a car with Beepbeep is very similar to the prices charged by rental companies for combustion engine vehicles, ride-hailing apps, and even public transportation. 

There is a fixed rental fee of R$ 9.90. Subsequently, charges are applied per minute at different time intervals, as per the following table:

As you can easily see, the longer you keep the vehicle, the less you will pay for it. 

In the city of São Paulo, Beepbeep operates stations in private locations.

You pick up the car at one station and can return it to any other.

The stations are concentrated in the southern and western regions of São Paulo and are installed in some St. Marche Supermarkets, in Netpark parking lots, in some corporate condominiums managed by JLL, as well as in shopping malls such as Market Place and JK Iguatemi and hotels such as Tivoli Mofarrej São Paulo, Pullman São Paulo Ibirapuera and Maksoud Plaza Hotel.

In São José dos Campos, beepbeep operates within a defined area on the map and with private stations, which can be accessed through the app. 

You can use the startup's vehicles wherever you want – throughout the entire country, but you can only start and end rides within that region or at designated stations.

But you need to be very careful when finishing the race. You can only end the race if:

It is also possible to pick up a vehicle in São José dos Campos and return it in São Paulo and vice versa, at no additional cost. 

Another point that requires close attention from renters concerns battery charging. 

If you plan to travel more kilometers than your car's range allows, check if there's an electric car charger along your route and plan ahead to charge your vehicle.

The app indicates which charging stations are available and their charging times.

For your comfort, convenience, and safety, all vehicles have parking and toll tags. You will only be charged for what you use, via your credit card. 

To rent a car from the manufacturer, you only need two things: a valid and permanent driver's license and a valid credit card. 

As you might expect, the startup's vehicles are insured, which provides peace of mind for both the company and the renter. 

In case of an accident or mechanical failure, simply contact the call center and you will receive all the support you need. 

The vehicles are covered by hull insurance, which protects against damage, theft, robbery, fire, and collisions, up to the limits established according to the current insurance policy.

In the event of a collision, accident, theft, or robbery, the user will be responsible, regardless of the event or fault, for paying the vehicle's deductible or repairing the damage, whichever is less expensive.

In the event of an accident, the driver will be liable up to the deductible amount, and if this amount is exceeded, an administration fee of 15% will be applied. Each vehicle has a deductible of R$ 6 thousand. 

As you can see, both the rental and insurance prices are very similar to those of traditional rental companies. 

Now that you know all about the company, you're probably wondering: Okay, but what are the steps to rent an electric vehicle with Beepbeep and start driving around?

You'll find the answer to that question by clicking the link below, which will take you to an exclusive article showing not only the step-by-step process but also the advantages of renting a car with a startup. 

Shall we check it out?