Last July, DriveItAway Holdings joined forces with Free2move, the global mobility brand of Stellantis, to launch Free2move Powered by DriveItAway, a national initiative that aims to “transform dealerships into next-generation mobility hubs.”

In December, the companies announced the expansion of their service footprint to nine more markets.

In a news release, DriveItAway said the integration of its flexible lease-to-own subscription platform into Free2move’s modular software-as-a-service marketplace is designed to deliver a seamless, app-based experience that allows customers to drive a vehicle — without a down payment, credit approval or long-term commitment — and buy later if they choose.

Following the launch in November with the Mossy Automotive Group in San Diego, DriveItAway’s flexible lease/subscription service, requiring no down payment, no minimum credit score, and no long-term lease commitment is now in nine more markets, thanks to its proprietary insurance and risk-management architecture. Those markets include:

—Miami
—Fort Lauderdale
—Orlando
—Tampa
—Key West
—Minneapolis/St. Paul
—Denver
—St. Louis
—Los Angeles

“This expansion represents a key milestone in making mobility accessible to people who have been priced out of traditional financing,” DriveItAway Holdings founder and CEO John Possumato said. “No one should be locked out of reliable transportation simply because they can’t meet outdated credit or down-payment thresholds.

“With Free2move as our partner, we now have the platform, supply, and scale to deliver real solutions, at the moment consumers need it most,” Possumato continued.

The partnership allows franchise dealers to offer vehicles by the minute, day, week or month, or through an open-ended lease-to-own option, through a co-branded app and platform, DriveItAway said, and returned vehicles are re-entered into a new short-term lease model via Free2move, maximizing use and profitability.

It also gives dealers access to a competitively priced pool of used vehicles, the companies said, helping them manage aging inventory, improve margins and meet demand quickly as the market changes. And, they added, with a target audience of consumers and businesses traditionally served by rental car and subscription companies, it helps dealers reclaim lost market share.

Free2move noted the integration is designed to align with traditional automotive sales processes and existing dealer sales workflows.

“Free2move was created to deliver flexible mobility solutions to a rapidly evolving market,” said Benjamin Maillard, managing director of Free2move North America. “Our roll-out with DriveItAway marks an important step forward, expanding flexible leasing to more cities and more drivers who need accessible mobility today.

“The national scale-up of Free2move Powered by DriveItAway is made possible by our dealer network, which is now actively serving these customers and bridging the gap in accessible mobility. This is only the beginning; we expect continued geographic expansion as our dealers activate this new revenue stream,” Maillard went on to say.