A total of 250 low-CO2 smart fortwo vehicles are being made available for the scheme, which covers an area of 21 square miles.

To use the scheme, drivers need to pay a one-off registration fee of £29.90 and can then locate any available car through the car2go Birmingham website, by using a free app or just by walking up to an available car, touching the card reader on the windscreen with the car2go member card, getting in and driving off.

Once registered, driving will be charged by the minute (35p) and billed directly to the customers’ account. This rate includes fuel, insurance, road tax, parking and maintenance at no extra cost. 

The scheme is offering new customers their first 30 minutes of driving time for free to help them understand how the car2go concept works.

Vehicles will be based on the smart mhd two-seater, which emits 98g/km of CO2, and offers automatic transmission, start-stop technology, GPS navigation and air conditioning.

The scheme is intended to complement the existing public transport network in Birmingham and to help reduce congestion and pollution in the city.

Councillor Tahir Ali, cabinet member for development, jobs and skills, said: ‘We want to develop a range of green transport initiatives, reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions and encouraging people to think of alternative ways of getting about.  I’m pleased to welcome car2go to Birmingham, particularly as they are making the city their UK headquarters, with the associated jobs that will bring.  I will be monitoring this pilot closely for all the benefits it is expected to bring.’

Birmingham is the 19th city around the world to offer the car2go scheme, and it’s the second city in the UK, following the launch of the scheme in London in December 2012. Anyone registered as a car2go member in London or Birmingham can use the service in either city.