Blue Indy, an electric car-sharing service that was launched in Indianapolis in 2015 is pulling the plug on its network of rechargeable cars after the population failed to embrace the vehicles.
The electric car-sharing company will put an end to its collaboration with the city of Indianapolis on May 21, stating that the car-sharing service would end “because we did not reach the level of activity needed to be economically viable.”
When Bolloré Logistics introduced the company in Indiana’s capital in September 2015, the company predicted it would be running profitably by 2020, with no less than 15,000 members, 200 stations and 500 cars.
But as of August this year, Blue Indy had 3,000 active members, a fifth of the total it had expected that it required for profitability. And it had 92 stations and 200 cars — 80 fewer than what it had two years earlier.
The Blue Indy project is about $50 million worth, with the company investing $41 million, the city contributing $6 million and Indianapolis Power & Light Co. covering the rest of $3 million.
The company did not mention what would happen to the cars’ charging stations, which can be seen throughout Indianapolis.
James Delgado, managing director for Blue Indy and vice president of business development for Bollore’s Blue Systems, stated Indianapolis can still take advantage of the infrastructure that Blue Indy leaves behind.
“If the city decides to maintain the present charging infrastructure already in place, it will have a network of 455 charging points strategically set up throughout the city including locations at all significant universities, the airport, and popular destinations in downtown Indianapolis and the surrounding areas,” Delgado stated.
