From the Golden State to the Sunshine State.
Autonomy has added its first markets outside of California, announcing Tuesday that the electric vehicle subscription platform is now available in Southeast Florida.
That includes Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
Florida is second only to California in terms of EV population, the company said.
“Expanding our service geographically beyond California represents a major scaling moment for our business,” Autonomy founder and CEO Scott Painter said in a news release. “EV registrations and charging stations in Florida are growing at a tremendous pace, signaling a growing population that’s eager to make the switch to an EV and the infrastructure to make it convenient to do so.
“With EVs still costing 20-40% more than gas-powered vehicles, affordability is a major barrier that Autonomy’s subscription model addresses for EV shoppers.”
Georg Bauer, co-founder and president at Autonomy, added: ““Providing affordable and flexible access to an EV is at the core of Autonomy’s existence. We are excited for Florida residents to experience a new way to get into an electric vehicle and to support Florida’s momentum toward EVs.”
Painter is among the speakers at Used Car Week, which starts Monday in San Diego.
On Nov. 17, he will be participate on an electric vehicle panel with Cherokee Media Group’s Joe Overby and AutoNation’s Gialuca Camplone during the National Remarketing Conference portion of Used Car Week.
Painter is also slated for a fireside chat with Steve Greenfield of Automotive Ventures during the NAVIcon portion of the event. That Nov. 17 session will explore “Building Visionary Companies and the Importance of Strategic Fundraising.”
Electric vehicle subscription company Autonomy has placed a $1.2 billion fleet order for 23,000 EVs from 17 automakers across the world to broaden its subscription fleet.
When Autonomy launched its EV subscription platform less than a year ago, it began by offering the Tesla Model 3, later adding the Model Y, with additional models from the automaker set to be included.
Then late last month, it announced a partnership with AutoNation to help scale the EV subscription platform, both in terms of geography and product offerings.
Tuesday’s move, the moving pieces of which AutoNation will help facilitate, begins a major step towards that expansion that will roll out over the next year-and-a-half.
The Autonomy placed the order for the near-23,000 EVs — which includes 45 different models — with the respective fleet departments of:
BMW
Canoo
Fisker
Ford
General Motors
Hyundai
Lucid
Mercedes-Benz
Polestar
Rivian
Stellantis
Subaru
Tesla
Toyota
VinFast
Volvo
Volkswagen
The order will be rolled out gradually between now and the fourth quarter of 2023. Autonomy said the order comprises 1.2% of the expected EV production total in the U.S. through the end of 2023 and was set up to align with the respectieve automakers' forecasted production envelopes.
As show in the table in the window above, the order begins in the third quarter with 3,250 vehicles, the majority from Tesla and GM, with some coming from Hyundai.
Each quarter will scale up from there, with additional vehicles and automakers being added to the mix.
“Tesla was certainly the right launch partner for Autonomy given their dominance in the electric vehicle market today,” Autonomy founder and chief executive officer Scott Painter said in a news release.
“With every automaker going all-in on electric and so many exciting new products coming to market in the next six to 18 months, we have placed our fleet order and are excited to expand our subscription lineup and make it easier for consumers to make the transition to electric,” he said.
Vehicles in the order will have an MSRP range between $26,595 and $122,440, and include a minimum battery range of 250 miles, with some exceptions.
Also included in the criteria are the vehicles having fully connected telematics, being available to purchase for the end of next year and the highest projected resale values.
In terms of AutoNation’s role in the order, the retailer will help handle most of the acquisition and intake of the vehicles. AutoNation is preparing the vehicles, providing delivery services and activating subscribers. The retailer is also offering maintenance, repair and reconditioning services for Autonomy’s EV fleet.
Autonomy has set up order fulfillment so that vehicle deliveries will happen at the AutoNation franchise dealerships and AutoNation USA used-car stores closest to the OEM distribution centers in areas with the largest EV registration density.
“Electric vehicles cost far more than gas-powered vehicles and most consumers will simply not make the switch to an EV without highly compelling value propositions,” Painter said.
“Autonomy subscriptions deliver an easier and more affordable way to get an EV, and this is why we believe that subscriptions will be the predominant contract by which consumers adopt electric vehicles from every automaker.”
Autonomy continues to expand its electric vehicle subscription operation, as last week the company enhanced its EV lineup to include the Tesla Model Y Long Range.
After forging a relationship with AutoNation, Autonomy now offers the Tesla Model 3 Standard and Long Range, as well as the Model Y Long Range, which has monthly payment as low as $690 a month (with a $7,900 start fee) or up to $1,350 per month (with a $1,000 start fee and no vehicle upgrades).
“Autonomy has met the moment for consumers by making subscribing to a cool EV cheaper, faster, and easier than ever before,” Autonomy chief executive officer and founder Scott Painter said in the company’s latest news release. “During the first quarter of the year, Tesla made up 75% of EVs sold, with Model Y and Model 3 making up 68% of the market by themselves, showcasing the demand and popularity for the vehicles.
“We’re seeing five times the demand we anticipated for our Tesla Model 3 program, and with gas prices soaring, we knew it was time to expand our lineup to include a popular crossover, such as the Model Y,” Painter continued.
Autonomy also mentioned that a Tesla now can be delivered to the customer’s doorstep anywhere in California for $100 plus tax for a limited time. Or the vehicle can be available for pickup from its Santa Monica delivery center.
“The subscription value proposition is unbeatable,” said Georg Bauer, president and co-founder of Autonomy. “When you can beat the legacy options on price, experience, and speed, you are going to win with consumers. We look forward to partnering with OEMs to expand into new brands and models, and giving consumers more choices for flexible and sustainable mobility.”
“Sweetheart, did you remember to pack our electric vehicle?”
While that question might seem silly coming from a couple on vacation, a new partnership involving Autonomy and EV Mobility could address that quandary should it ever arise — given that the latter company provides EVs on demand 24/7 as an amenity to luxury hotels as well as at multifamily apartment buildings and other commercial properties through its mobile app.
Autonomy co-founder and chief executive officer Scott Painter explained through a news release distributed this week how this partnership is going to benefit his electric vehicle subscription company.
“The partnership with EV Mobility is mutually beneficial in that it helps us achieve our scaling goal of 10,000 Autonomy subscribers within the next 12 months,” Painter said. “EV Mobility’s business is complementary to our business model and launches our B2B channel.
“At Autonomy, we are focused on revenue quality and predictability. By making EV Mobility our customer, we not only satisfy our need for revenue quality and predictability, but also provide EV Mobility with access to a growing national fleet of electric vehicles without having to secure and finance their own separate fleet of vehicles. This underscores the power and scalability of the subscription model for everyone,” Painter continued.
Through the partnership, Autonomy will deploy Tesla Model 3s and Model Ys to EV Mobility locations across California, Florida, Washington, and other states by the end of the year.
The companies highlighted the luxury amenity allows guests and residents to reserve and operate vehicles hourly, 24/7, through EV Mobility’s app. The payment covers the traditional costs of ownership, including annual registration, licensing fees, routine maintenance, roadside assistance, as well as standard tire wear and tear.
“We look forward to expanding our relationship with EV Mobility to include tens of thousands of EVs in dozens of states in the coming years as we scale our business and capacity,” Autonomy president and chief operating officer Jim Nguyen said.
Ramy El-Batrawi is CEO of EV Mobility.
“We are excited to partner with Autonomy and its founder Scott Painter to advance our shared mission of providing easy and affordable access to EVs,” El-Batrawi said. “One of the biggest challenges in car sharing historically has been the large balance sheet required to own a fleet of cars, so working with Autonomy, which owns their vehicles, solves a major obstacle in scaling our business and allows us to provide flexible, hourly, and shared access to electric vehicles to more people.”
Along with now being available via Android devices, Autonomy expanded its geographic footprint this week by making its electric vehicle subscription program available to residents of the Northern California counties of Napa, Sonoma and Marin.
The development arrived shortly after Autonomy expanded its Tesla subscription program to other parts of California, including San Diego, Orange County, the High and Low Deserts, the Inland Empire, Central California, the San Francisco Bay Area, Fresno and Sacramento.
“At the heart of Autonomy is the desire to make EVs accessible to everyone. As we continue to expand our EV subscription service across California, we’re seeing consumers fully realizing the benefits of not paying for gas and not feeling trapped by their long lease and loan terms,” Autonomy founder and chief executive officer Scott Painter said in a news release.
“With such proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area, these communities are fueled by an early-adoption mindset, and it’s exciting to now offer Autonomy’s radical new way of mobility to a consumer who is primed for innovation and an environmentally forward way of life,” Painter continued.
According to the most recent greenhouse gas inventory performed by the Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA), Sonoma County’s emissions from transportation account for roughly 60% of total emissions. To meet RCPA’s 2030 goal of achieving carbon neutrality, Autonomy said the county is working to promote 100% EV adoption.
Customers can start to reserve their vehicle via Autonomy’s app with a $100 refundable deposit, which goes toward a $500 refundable security deposit due at activation. A payment dial allows customers to personalize their Model 3.
Subscriptions range from $490 per month with an initial $4,900 start fee, to $1,000 per month with an initial $1,000 start fee.
Once a customer has picked the plan that works for them, the balance of the refundable security deposit ($400), start fee, and first month’s payment, along with any applicable taxes, are not due until the subscription is activated. After that, the customer is billed monthly according to the plan they selected.
And it all can be completed through an app that’s now available on Android devices.
Autonomy’s Android app will be available on Android OS 10 and newer. Until this month, the service was only available to iOS users.
“There’s a clear product market fit and enthusiasm for our service and the option to subscribe to a Tesla Model 3 by using Autonomy,” Painter said in another news release. “With growing interest and demand from Android users, we expedited our Android app launch, and it is now available on the Google Play Store. This opens the door for more consumers to get behind the wheel of a Tesla with flexibility and freedom from long-term debt.”
“Android users can now experience the magic that is Autonomy,” said Georg Bauer, co-founder and president of Autonomy. “Instead of spending hours at a car dealership, qualified Android users can download an app, and in as little as 10 minutes begin their subscription to a Tesla Model 3. This is the digital experience consumers have been demanding in their car shopping experience.”
Autonomy continues to expand in the Golden State.
The electric vehicle subscription company — which says it is the “cheapest, fastest and easiest way to get a Tesla Model 3” — said in news release Wednesday that its services have launched in Bakersfield, Calif.
Autonomy launched in Los Angeles in January, then the San Francisco Bay Area in March and San Diego in April.
Autonomy is live across the entire state and is currently activating across local markets, with plans to add another delivery center and additional states soon, a company spokesperson said via email. There are more than 500 subscribers to the platform, the spokesperson said.
Its California expansion comes at a time when gas prices in the state are at record highs and well above the national average, based on AAA data. Autonomy said in the release that fuel costs in Bakersfield, specifically, are now above $6.25 per gallon.
That’s one value proposition of moving into an EV, Autonomy argues.
“Gas prices continue to soar and set new records every day across California and the rest of the country,” Autonomy founder and chief executive officer Scott Painter said in the release.
“Consumers now have a choice to ditch their gas-powered cars to go electric and save 60% or more on fuel costs,” Painter said. “EVs have been out of reach for many consumers, but with a subscription, that’s not the case anymore.”
Autonomy co-founder and president George Bauer added: “Autonomy is all about easy and affordable access to mobility. Launching in every part of California is important to us, especially as we unlock access to EVs, which was once incredibly out of reach for many consumers.
“Getting an EV doesn’t need to be costly, it doesn’t require a perfect credit score, and it doesn’t need to be forever,” Bauer said. “With Autonomy, every person gets to personalize the payment and length of their subscription, on their own terms, month to month.”
