DriveNow, the carsharing service operated by the BMW Group and Sixt SE, is bringing its service to Finland’s capital city.

Beginning May 24, operations will begin in Helsinki with 150 BMW and Mini models in a business area covering 40 square kilometers. Vehicles will include the BMW X1 and 2 series, the Mini three- and five-door models, and the electric BMW i3.

“Launching operations in Helsinki as the 12th DriveNow city is a significant step for us,” said Nico Gabriel, DriveNow’s managing director. “After Copenhagen and Stockholm, we are augmenting the Scandinavian market to include the capital city of Finland as a further important location. The mobility solution in Finland has a lot of potential for carsharing. Helsinki is an extremely modern city that has a great interest in European lifestyle and that exhibits a strong demand for individual mobility, yet for the most part relies on a classic transportation mix. Up to now there is no comparable carsharing concept.”

DriveNow assigns its usage rights for national operation in Finland to OP Financial Group, a financial services provider. After Copenhagen, Helsinki is the second city where DriveNow will be operated within a franchise model, according to the company.

“With OP, we are pleased to have found a strong partner for DriveNow in Helsinki,” said Gabriel. “The company fulfills all of the requirements that we expect from a franchisee.”

“We are happy to announce the co-operation with DriveNow and further expand our range of mobility services,” said Masa Peura, OP’s director of new business areas. “Our strategy is very future-oriented and we want to build it together with the best partners. Based on these principles, we believe that DriveNow is the right carsharing service partner for us and our customers.”