City car share

City car share clubs allow electric car owners
to hire a bigger car by the hour.

City car share with a car club is a great option for electric car owners who just occasionally need a bigger car, or need a conventional car for occasional long distance journeys.

Over the past ten years, car sharing has gained huge momentum: if you live in a major city anywhere in the world, chances are there is a car sharing club in your area. Car club members can book a car for anything from half an hour upwards. The booking can be made via the internet or by telephone.

City car share clubs work by providing cars in designated parking slots in local areas. Cars typically range from sub-compact hatchbacks to family and luxury cars. The cars are accessed using a smart card electronic key and PIN number.

Members can elect to pay for their cars on a monthly subscription scheme, or 'pay as they go', paying an hourly rental fee for the car as and when they need it. The payment includes all fuel, insurance and maintenance costs.

The largest car sharing club is run by Zipcar, who operate 6,500 cars in over 50 cities in North America and the United Kingdom. City Car Club in the United Kingdom has over 500 cars in 15 English cities.

Zipcar has an application to allow users
to book their car directly from their iPhone

The secret of their success is in providing lots of vehicles across a city so that they are convenient for everyone to get to and there is always a car available.

In Chicago, for instance, Zipcar has over 400 cars in 140 locations around the city. The success of the scheme has significantly reduced the number of cars on Chicago's streets.

It is estimated that each Zipcar replaces 15-20 personally owned cars. On average, each Zipcar member drives around 5,000 miles (8,000km) each year, and saves around $450 (£300) per month by not owning their own car.

"Zipcar membership in Chicago is up nearly 50% since last year," said Mark Norman, President and COO of Zipcar. "Zipcar users report household spending on transportation of 6% versus the national average of 19%. The growing group of Zipcar members in Chicago has contributed to an estimated 10,000 fewer personally owned vehicles on Chicago's streets and more than $50 million saved by Chicago's Zipcar member households each year."

Over the next few years, car clubs and car sharing is expected to gain further momentum, with 10% of the population expected to adopt car sharing as their primary mode of transportation by 2025.

Return from city car share to electric car information page.