Introduction
Overview
The Mevo API is designed to allow third parties to:
- Consume Mevo data
- Consume Mevo services
- Offer Mevo services to their customers
- Offer goods and services to Mevo Members
The Mevo API is under active development. If you would like to provide feedback or suggestions, you can email api@mevo.co.nz.
Using the API
The Mevo API speaks exclusively JSON and follows RESTful principles.
All requests to the Mevo API should be over HTTPS, or they will be redirected.
A development API version is available for development/testing purposes, as well as a production version:
| API Version | Base URL |
|---|---|
| Development | dev.api.mevo.co.nz |
| Production | api.mevo.co.nz |
Public API Endpoints
The public API endpoints do not require authorization and are a great resource to familiarise yourself with the API.
| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GET | /parking/:cityName | Get parking zones in city |
| GET | /vehicles/:cityName | Get vehicles in city |
Version 1 API Endpoints
The Mevo API Vesion 1 uses basic access authentication.
Read more about basic access authentication here.
Clients consuming the Authorized Version 1 API Endpoints will require a valid set of credentials. If you’re interested in using the API please email api@mevo.co.nz outlining your desired use case.
| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GET | /v1/cities/:cityName/vehicles | Get available vehicles in a city |
| GET | /v1/vehicles/near | Get vehicles close to coordinates |
| GET | /v1/vehicles/:vehicleId | Get vehicle details |
Concepts
Understanding some core concepts of Mevo will make developing relevant applications much simpler.
Car Sharing
The average car is used around 4-5% of the time, while being the second-largest purchase many people make.
In urban centres, where the cost of owning a car is much higher (particularly parking), and the utilisation can be much lower (many people will walk or take public transit to work), the cost-benefit of car ownership is particularly bad.
Car sharing is an alternate access model for the private car, where instead of buying, storing, and owning a car, an individual can join a scheme where they can access a range of cars from time to time. Then, the user just pays for the use they require, as opposed to 100% of the cost, and each car can be used by many people.
You can read Mevo’s mission to find more information about the background and benefits of car sharing.
Mevo Flex: Free-floating
Mevo specialises in operating free-floating car sharing. Also known as “dockless”, “park-anywhere”, or “one-way” car sharing, it’s characterised by the fact that customers don’t need to return the vehicles to the same place they collected them from.
This is much more convenient for the customer, and allows for many more types of trips to be performed easily. This in turn increases uptake, particularly among business users, leading to higher vehicle utilisation and amplifying the benefits of car sharing.
As the vehicles don’t have a dedicated parking space, the concept of a “booking” ahead of time doesn’t fit the free-floating model. Instead, customers use a mobile app to locate, “reserve” for a short window, and unlock the vehicles.
You’ll see this referred to in our apps and marketing material as Mevo Flex.
Flex Zones
Flex Zones are the geofenced polygons where it’s possible to end free-floating Mevo Flex trips. They’re also referred to as “Home Zones”, “service areas”, or similar.
Usually, there are some restrictions on which parking spaces within the Flex Zones can be used to end a trip, e.g. loading zones would be prohibited. This varies between cities and is usually governed by the local municipality.
Mevo Loop: Back-to-base
Mevo also operates back-to-base car sharing. Also known as “round-trip” or “scheduled-booking” car sharing, it’s characterised by the fact that customers can pre-book their trips in advance. The customer selects a pickup location, and a start/end time, and collects the vehicle for their booking - returning it back to the same location.
This operating model suits smaller centres, where the scale required for free-floating car sharing isn’t yet viable, or for specialised vehicle types (e.g. moving van).
You’ll see this referred to in our apps and marketing material as Mevo Loop.
Loop Bases
Loop Bases are the parking spaces from which vehicles are collected, and where they are returned at the end of a trip.
Vehicles
The vehicles that are available on a car-sharing scheme can broadly be divided into two categories; general-purpose vehicles (e.g. compact hatchback), and those with a specific purpose (e.g. moving van).
Mevo currently operates a range of general-purpose vehicle models on its fleet. All are late model, fuel-efficient vehicles with 4 or 5-star ANCAP ratings.
| Make & model | Type | Drivetrain | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Polo | Compact Hatch | Petrol | 5 |
| BYD Atto 3 | Crossover SUV | Battery EV | 5 |
| MG ZST | Crossover SUV | Petrol | 5 |
| Polestar 2 | Elite Sedan | Battery EV | 5 |
| Tesla Model 3 | Elite Sedan | Battery EV | 5 |
Climate Positive
Mevo is a founding member of the international Climate Positive movement.
Mevo meticulously accounts for the built and emitted carbon from the operations of the vehicle fleet and offsets these at 120% with sustainable, local carbon credits.