We first wrote about Zipcar in 2003, applauding the company’s innovative approach to the staid car rental industry. Catering to urban dwellers in North America and the UK, Zipcar’s car sharing fleet is rentable by the hour, gas and insurance included. Which allows customers to use the vehicles whenever they need them.

Zipcar’s culture of innovation didn’t stop there. In April 2007, we noted that it had partnered with ParkAtMyHouse.com. The UK company acts as a clearing house, allowing people with parking spaces for rent to link up with those looking for a place to stow their cars. The savvy alliance meant Zipcar’s fleet could now be stashed in more locations, hopefully within walking distance of its customers.

To make finding those cars easier, this fall Zipcar unveiled a mobile tracking system. How it works? Suppose a Zipcar member buys an expensive antique chair at a shop in Soho (be it New York or London). To find a car to haul it home in, they simply access Zipcar with a GPS-enabled cell phone to find the nearest vehicle and make an instant reservation, unlock the car by pressing the company’s membership card to the windshield. Customer takes home the chair. Returns the car to a designated parking space. Presto! An urban logistics problem that would have caused severe headaches just a few years ago is made simple thanks to the mobile web and an innovative business idea. Entrepreneurs take heart: plenty of similar everyday hassles remain, crying out for solutions.

Website: www.zipcar.com
Contact: info@zipcar.com

Spotted by: RK

It's a well-known fact that at least half of all drivers—those with a Y chromosome, in particular—abhor having to ask for directions when they're on unfamiliar ground. Fortunately, help may soon be at hand with new, Google-equipped gas pumps that can tell you which way to go.

Announced earlier this month—and already covered fairly widely in the technology press—Gilbarco Veeder-Root's new Applause media system lets consumers display maps, find local listings, and print driving directions and money-saving coupons right at the pump. The technology is an extension of Gilbarco’s SMART Merchandising System for delivering promotions and coupons at the fuel dispenser, and brings the power of Google to gas customers through a live internet connection. Users can view maps on the pump’s screen, search Google’s local business listings by category (restaurant, hospital, gift shop, etc.), and print easy-to-read driving directions to go right on the pump's receipt printer.

The technology is expected to start appearing in gas stations throughout the U.S. next month, and could result in increased sales for those that use it.

"Getting directions at the pump is safer than using internet-enabled devices from the driver’s seat and far more reliable than just asking a stranger," explains Kirsten Paust, vice president of global retail systems at North Carolina-based Gilbarco Veeder-Root. "We believe consumers will prefer convenience stores that deliver useful information and ultimate convenience. Retailers who use these tools will make themselves more valuable to consumers and gain the competitive edge."

U.S. fuel retailers: You won't want to be late on this one. Those in other countries: time to start making enquiries!

Website: www.gilbarco.com

Spotted by: Kundan Sen

Say you’re an entrepreneur bent on creating a classified ad site. How do you compete with the free ads you find on Craigslist? For US-based auto-classified provider HotSwap, the answer is to give users a more feature-filled platform for displaying their ads in a friendly, community-like atmosphere. And still charge nothing.

Specifically, HotSwap gives users a way to post video ads of their cars online, YouTube-style. Anyone can shoot a video of their car with a cell phone cam or other digital camera and upload it to the site, along with still images and a description of the car. HotSwap also throws in some useful search tools for prospective buyers. Shoppers can search for cars by their mileage and colour, for example, or post questions about the vehicle for all to view and negotiate an offer online.

Still, it’s the videos which give the site its sizzle. Underlying DivX encoding can improve low-res video uploads to high quality moving images. HotSwap’s founders, who met as graduate students at the University of California, are making the site pay by providing their video services to large-scale car dealers, including AutoNation. The site has already attracted some heavy-hitting investors, including Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak and the co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, Red McCombs.

Deep pockets and a slick video codec notwithstanding, what really separates HotSwap from the crowd of online-classified purveyors is the friendly feel of the site: more visually appealing than Craigslist, and not as commercial as cars.com. HotSwap’s organizers even advise sellers not to edit their videos into slick presentations, saying the home-produced uploads give viewers a more believable impression of a vehicle being sold. Believability isn’t a word often associated with used car sales, and it could end up being the biggest factor in HowSwap’s success. And something for anyone in online sales to learn from. (Related: Craigslist meets YouTube.)

Website: www.hotswap.com
Contact: support@hotswap.com

Spotted by: Bill McMahon

The auto industry’s transition to alternative energy won’t just affect oil companies. It’s destined to disrupt and reinvent supply chains for fuel, financing and just about everything else that makes a car run. All of which translates into unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurs.

The latest evidence: Norway’s two-seat, electric-powered Think City car—set to go on sale in the coming months—will come with an owner financing package unheard of in the auto industry. Consumers will pay an estimated USD 15,000 to 17,000 for the vehicle, but the company plans to lease the Think’s battery. And for good reason: on its own, the battery would cost an estimated USD 34,000, more than the price of a low-end luxury vehicle in most countries. Moreover, the Think battery’s useful life will depend on how the vehicle is used. Meaning: if Think owners were compelled to buy the battery along with the car, they’d be assuming risks few vehicle buyers would tolerate.

The workaround Think has devised is a USD 100-200 per month bundle that will include the battery lease plus other services such as insurance and mobile internet access. The latter will enable the company to remotely monitor the battery’s remaining useful life. As the battery’s ability to recharge declines with age, the company will automatically offer owners the chance to replace it or alternately keep the battery in exchange for a lower monthly leasing fee.

Think’s battery-leasing business model differs sharply from that of US electric car maker Tesla Motors. With a batteries-and-all price tag of about USD 100,000, the sporty Tesla is being marketed as status symbol for Hollywood celebrities and Silicon Valley titans. Notwithstanding, under an agreement announced this spring, Tesla will help supply Think with battery packs. Notably, both Think and Tesla are start-ups, aptly illustrating how the switch to alternate fuels will make room for innovative upstarts in an industry dominated by giants. (Related: The going is green—and electric.)

Website: www.think.no
Contact: www.think.no/company/kontakt

Spotted by: HL Tay

Although research finds that women are responsible for the bulk of purchasing decisions—one arena that continues to overlook this important target market is auto dealerships. Until now, that is. Enter Clutch—a new offshoot of Canada's autoONE company, which recently opened in Vancouver.

Customers know from the moment they walk through the dealership doors that they're not in for the stereotypical car-buying experience. “With its Italian-tiled floor, Paul Kane sofa, modern lighting, and La Marzocco espresso machine, Clutch has more the look and feel of a high end fashion boutique than a car dealership.” Of course, it's the service that really makes the grade, with approachable sales staff who can respectfully—without the usual high-pressure sales tactics—walk buyers through the inventory of Aston Martins, BMWs, Jaguars, Land Rovers, Mercedes-Benzs, Minis and Porches—or hang back, available if questions should arise, for customers who prefer to browse solo. And forget the usual 10-minute test drive—Clutch customers can take a vehicle for a full day to try it out and see if it fits their lifestyle and needs.

It all makes for rather classy car-shopping, and considering how much this market spends on Manolo Blahniks and other designer fare, turning the auto dealership model on its head to appeal to female shoppers could reap some nice rewards. It won't be surprising if car dealers in other regions take steps to court them as well. Now might be a good time to consider what other ventures that traditionally have catered to male customers might be due for a makeover! More more on that topic in our sister site trendwatching.com's female fever briefing.

Website: www.autoone.ca/clutch
Contact: info@autoone.ca