This past summer Hubway, the bicycle ride share program, launched in Boston.  Fashioned after the now five year old Velib program in Paris, Hubway was an immediate hit here.  In just the first four months the system recorded 140,000 trips and riders logged over 160,000 miles.  Half of those rides were taken by “Out-of-Towners”.

The Parisian Velib, unlike it’s Boston counterpart benefits from a more moderate climate which allows the system to be fixed in place offering riders access 365 days a year.  The Boston bikes and rental stations have all been put away for the winter yet when they return in March the program will expand across the river and add 30 locations and over 300 bikes.  Looking forward to transportation/ride share options in Boston we may see another French import, or at least the idea might be imported – cars. 

Paris is now in the process of testing short term cars on a system similar to the Velib, it is called Autolib' and the cars are all electric.  In classic French style they have been designed by Pininfarina, the same company that designs for Ferrari, Maserati, and Rolls-Royce.  While you will not confuse the four seater with a Ferrari Testarossa the Autolib' Bluecar has a top speed 130 km per hour (80 mph), with a range of 250 km (155 miles) on a single charge.  Not that you’ll get up to that speed in central Paris.  After it’s initial test period the plan is to expand to 1000 locations around the French Capitol with 3000-5000 cars.  Could this be on the horizon for Boston?  Time will tell, but if the courtesy car outside the Lenox Hotel is any indication, that time could be sooner than you think.