--- title: "New App Rents a Whole Electric Car for $500 Per Month" description: "Startup Autonomy is offering a monthly EV subscription service to those who want to get a taste of one without having to shoulder the entire sticker price." date: "2022-08-15" modified: "2022-08-15" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/new-app-rents-electric-car-500-per-month" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "evs" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # New App Rents a Whole Electric Car for $500 Per Month ![Startup Autonomy is offering a monthly EV subscription service to those who want to get a taste of one without having to shoulder the entire sticker price.]() *\Image: Autonomy\* ## EV Monthly It's no secret that it's hard to get your hands on an electric vehicle these days. Global supply chain shortages have shaken the automotive industry to its core, and it's not uncommon to wait months or even years to actually get the keys. That's something a new California-based startup called Autonomy is trying to capitalize on. The company is offering a monthly EV subscription service to those who want to get a taste of the tech without having to shoulder the entire associated costs of owning an EV up front, [*Bloomberg* reports](). After shelling out a $5,900 "start fee," consumers can then pay anywhere between $490 and $690 a month to drive up to 1,000 miles, with maintenance and registration fees all taken care of — not the world's greatest deal, but a conceivable way for the EV-curious to dabble their toes without fully committing. ## Lease or Subscribe While the start fee is fairly egregious, paying a monthly bill for an EV may make some degree of sense. For one, subscribers won't have to shoulder the depreciating value of their new vehicle, nor do they have to worry about technology outpacing their investment, as *Bloomberg* points out. Though the whole thing sounds very lease-like, Autonomy claims it's not technically a lease. "You’re not buying a car, so you’re not borrowing money," the company's website reads. "And no loan means you’re not locked into years of interest payments. Subscription is a new way to drive a car without owning it, and without its owning you." ## Tesla Order As you'd imagine, Autonomy is facing its own major headwinds in getting its hands on EVs. The company ordered $1.2 billion worth of cars from 17 automakers, with a big commitment to Tesla's offering in particular, reserving 8,300 cars there that [amounted to $443 milion](). Now, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has the difficult task of actually building all of those subscription-based vehicles — which is easier said than done. "Production is a much bigger challenge than demand," [Musk tweeted]() over the weekend, in response to news about the massive order. **READ MORE:** [A California Startup Is Selling Electric Vehicle ‘Subscriptions’]() \[*Bloomberg*\] **More on Tesla:** *[Tesla Fans Put Child in Path of Moving Tesla on Self-Driving Mode]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()