Porsche brings its ‘Passport’ and ‘Drive’ mobility mobility to more North American cities

Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) is expanding on-demand access to the Porsche experience. Four new cities in North America will host Porsche Passport and Porsche Drive, which offer up to 20 current model variants from the German sports car maker for shorter-term enjoyment than a traditional lease or purchase.

The programmes are rolling out to Porsche dealers in the new markets after a successful pilot in Atlanta, which will continue but also be transitioned to local dealers.

Porsche Passport is a monthly subscription plan that offers members unlimited swaps between models at the touch of an app. Cars are delivered and picked up by concierge anywhere a customer chooses within their service area. All operating costs except fuel are included in the flat monthly fee - $2,100 (+ taxes and fees) for the “Launch” membership that includes eight model variants and $3,100 (+ taxes and fees) for the “Accelerate” level that adds 12 higher-performing variants to the menu.

Porsche Drive in the US grew out of the Passport programme to offer customers shorter commitments than a month, such as weekend getaways, date nights, or vacations. It is also app-based, with hourly (four-hour minimum), daily, and weekly usage options. As with Passport, the cars are delivered and picked up by concierge at the customer's preferred location - home, work, hotel, restaurant, or wherever specified.

“Why is Porsche creating new mobility models? Because consumers increasingly want more flexibility, more individual choice, and to have this on their mobile devices. We want these consumers to have the same superb level of Porsche experience that we provide for our customers who buy or lease,” said Klaus Zellmer, President and CEO of PCNA. “This innovative approach to the Porsche experience has already opened the door to an entirely new clientele. In our first year and a half, more than 80% of Passport members in the Atlanta pilot were not previous Porsche owners.”

In the Passport programme, the Atlanta pilot that launched in late 2017 has found that the average subscription is about four months, with the most common reason for suspending membership being extended travel plans. This indicates that the month-to-month model provides the flexibility customers desire. Passport users swap models on average 2.5 times per month. Over 50% of members flip their vehicles at home, close to 30% swap their vehicle at work, and the remaining swaps occur in other locations, such as a coffee shop or restaurant.

The technology platform for the programme will be managed by Clutch Technologies, who have been part of the pilot from the start. The expansion of Passport and Drive includes a new role for Porsche dealer partners in all five cities, who will oversee the customer experience and the fleet, including white-glove vehicle delivery and maintenance.