Z Energy invests in Mevo's Audi hybrid car share scheme

Mevo Founders, Erik Zydervelt and Finn Lawrence with one of the Audi hybrids.

Z Energy is investing $250,000 in Mevo, a Wellington hybrid car sharing scheme that wants to expand in New Zealand and Australia.

Mevo has been in operation since December 2016 with three hybrid Audi A3 Sportback e-trons and is expanding the fleet of leased vehicles.

Mevo members who pay up to $49 a week for membership can book, lock and unlock a Mevo vehicle using the Mevo app and drive the car from designated spots in Wellington.

Hourly rental is from $11 to $23, depending on the membership plan.

Mevo will use the funding to scale its Wellington-based fleet to 50 vehicles, including a one-way airport service connecting the airport to central Wellington.

Co-founder of Mevo, Erik Zydervelt, said the investment from Z Energy was validation of the company's vision for the future of mobility in New Zealand.

He said the firm has ambition to expand to five New Zealand and Australian cities.

"We're excited to have forward-thinking partners who support our mission to not only lower carbon emissions, but to increase the liveability of Wellington by reducing the number of cars on the road,'' he said.

"The investment from Z Energy is a reflection of their interest in renewable energy innovation and their commitment to lowering their impact on the environment.''

Z chief executive Mike Bennetts said Mevo was an exciting start-up with potential to become a much more significant mobility platform in cities.

Investing in companies such as Mevo allowed Z to learn about a quickly changing transport sector, he said. Z, which regarded itself as a transport fuel company rather than just a petrol company, has electric vehicle chargers at several of its sites.

"We are proud to support and invest in a New Zealand company helping change how people get around."