BMW Group has brought its car-sharing program, DriveNow, to the US. The program launches in San Francisco this month, and will be followed next month by BMW's mobile parking solution, ParkNow.

The DriveNow fleet consists of 70 electric BMW ActiveE cars, to be found at nine DriveNow locations throughout the Northern California city. The program is available to registered users who reserve cars online or by using the DriveNow app.

Charging at DriveNow stations is free, but customers will have access to Coulomb Technologies' ChargePoint network to locate other charging points. The cars can be returned at any DriveNow location.

"The BMW Group not only manufactures premium automobiles, but also develops a range of services to meet the growing need for flexible mobility solutions in urban areas," Ian Robertson, a BMW sales and marketing executive, said in a statement. "The launch of DriveNow and ParkNow in San Francisco and other cities is part of our commitment to the development of new mobility offerings, which will reduce the level of pollutant emissions and traffic congestion and improve quality of life for residents."

The DriveNow program emerged in Germany in June 2011 as a partnership between BMW Group and the Sixt AG car rental company. It exists in Berlin, Munich, and Düsseldorf, and will soon be found in Cologne. It has about 45,000 members.

ParkNow is a wireless parking aid resulting from a partnership by BMW i Ventures and Urban Mobility. The service enables users to reserve parking spaces in advance, at a guaranteed price. Spaces can be reserved and paid for via the ParkNow iPhone app or the program's website. There are already 14 ParkNow stations in the San Francisco area.

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