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Rental Rivian’s Pool Feels Like An $80K Kiddie Tub Of Stranger Backwash

  • Uber and Turo teamed up to launch a free pool truck experience.
  • The Rivian R1T-based pool truck offered bookings in LA and Miami.
  • Guests enjoy popsicles, swag, and $300 toward a future Turo rental.

Making a splash is usually just a figure of speech, but Uber and Turo are giving it a more literal twist with their latest promotion. The two companies have teamed up to create a pool truck, letting customers book short but memorable rides in a Rivian R1T converted into a rolling oasis. For a couple of days in Miami, lucky participants can enjoy free two-hour sessions complete with extra perks.

The program kicked off in Los Angeles on August 23 and 24. On August 30 and 31, the Rivian pool truck is moving to Miami and bringing an all-inclusive experience.

The pool truck will feature floaties, frozen treats, and even a personal attendant to keep the vibes flowing. Participants will even get a $300 credit toward future Turo rentals through Uber Rent. Importantly, diving is not allowed given the pool’s depth of about 18 inches.

More: You Can Rent A Ford Bronco Sport On Turo For $95 A Day

Uber and Turo say that even if you can’t get in on the fun in person, they’re offering $25 off bookings of $100 or more through September 1. Uber One members earn 10 percent credits on top of that deal. As far as we can tell, bookings are closed at this point, but there’s no harm in checking for yourself. As for reaction to the event? Being sold out seems like a good indication, but online reactions are less eager.

The Internet Weighs In

Jokes are flying left and right like “If that’s a pool, I have an ocean in my backyard.” That’s even funnier considering both Miami and LA have actual oceans very close by for folks who actually want to swim.

Posts from the rivnstock
community on Reddit

Others pointed out that this whole thing kinda sounds a bit gross given that Rivians aren’t built with onboard water filtration systems. “So you get in and do what? Just sit in a soup of everyone’s dirt? It’s not a hot tub, just a glorified bath,” said one commenter.

A Short-Lived Spectacle

Whether it’s a clever stunt or just a curious experiment, the pool truck feels destined to make headlines for a moment before drying up. It’s eye-catching, fun, and clearly well-organized, but as a long-term idea, maybe not the most practical or clean.

Credit: Uber Turo

EU May Quietly Ban Gas Rentals Starting In 2030

  • European rental companies could be forced to go electric in five years, a report says.
  • The agencies would only be allowed to buy EVs after 2030, Germany’s Bild learned.
  • Assuming a two-year rental car life, renting in Europe could be all-electric by 2032.

European car buyers will still have the freedom to choose between combustion and electric vehicles until 2035, when the EU’s planned ban on new gas-powered cars takes effect. But a new report suggests that anyone renting vehicles might not enjoy the same freedoms.

Related: VW And Audi Could Keep Selling ICE Models In Europe Beyond 2033

The European Commission is working on plans to prevent rental companies and large corporations from buying ICE-powered cars from 2030, according to German media. Agencies like Europcar and Sixt would only be allowed to buy electric cars to replace de-fleeted hire cars, Bild says it learned from unnamed Commission sources.

Electric Only for Renters by 2032?

Assuming that most rental cars only last one or two years on a company’s fleet, this could mean renters would have no choice but to take an electric car from 2032 and possibly earlier. Although rental firms do already offer electric cars, they are more expensive to hire and less popular than combustion cars. They have also proved expensive for rental companies to repair.

If the proposal becomes law and extends to large corporations as well as rental businesses, it could also work to effectively fast-track the EU’s 2035 ban on combustion cars. Sales to rental companies make up around a fifth of all new car registrations in Europe, and fleet sales overall account for around 60 percent.

 EU May Quietly Ban Gas Rentals Starting In 2030
Sixt

This could result in far fewer new combustion cars being sold after 2030, and far fewer combustion cars hitting the used market in the years after, limiting used buyers’ options. And who’d be surprised if automakers rationalized their ICE ranges before 2035 because it became no longer economically viable to make as many versions without the huge bulk of fleet orders to justify the production costs?

That could also be bad news for automaker workers who are already facing a future where there will be fewer jobs.

Commission Keeps Details Under Wraps

While the EU confirmed to Bild’s reporters that it was working on new regulations concerning the sale of cars in the bloc, it declined to share specifics that would verify the reported 2030 cut-off for ICE fleet purchases.

 EU May Quietly Ban Gas Rentals Starting In 2030

Lead image Kia

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