Car sharing
Car-sharing schemes are a type of car rental where members of the scheme can rent cars for short periods of time.
In fixed-location schemes, cars are taken from, and returned to, fixed locations or stations. Depending on the design of the system, the point of return of the car may or may not differ from the point where the car was taken. In free-flow schemes, the organisation operating the car sharing-scheme has an agreement with the municipality that allows users to park their rental car at any available parking location.
Typically, users can localise cars or stations through web and/or mobile phone applications. Prices for the use of the vehicles usually depend on the time and distance travelled and the type of car, where different types are available. Schemes may also offer monthly and/or annual subscriptions that allow quicker access to the vehicles and/or preferential rates, e.g. the first 30 minutes or 10 kilometres are free. The car-sharing operator is typically in charge of the maintenance of the vehicles. Refuelling may be done by either the operator or the vehicle user. Costs for the refill are typically included in the time- and/or kilometre-based user charges.
Membership in car-sharing schemes is usually attractive to individuals who make only occasional use of a vehicle, as well as others who would like occasional access to a vehicle of a different type than they use day-to-day. The organisation renting the cars may be a commercial business, or the users may be organised as a company, public agency, co‑operative, or as an ad hoc grouping. Electric vehicle (EV) car-sharing systems use EVs in their shared car fleet.
Policy makers are responsible for the adequate licensing of car-sharing schemes, enforcing regulations relevant to the scheme (e.g. with regard to parking rights), and should put a policy framework in place that ensures that car-sharing schemes lead to sustainable mode shifts and overall emissions reductions. Authorities could also put in place requirements for the energy efficiency of the vehicles used (e.g. operators could be required to exclusively use low- or zero-emission vehicles [LZEVs]).
CO2 reductions from car-sharing systems can stem from one or both of the following:
- reductions in car sharers' total vehicle-kilometres where the system acts as feeder and/or in complement to sustainable transport modes (active modes or public transport) and increases their mode shares
- the replacement of private vehicle trips with shared vehicle trips in case the fuel efficiency of the shared vehicles outperforms the fuel efficiency of the private vehicle that would have been chosen otherwise.
Both of these effects will increase in cases where individuals decide to entirely abandon their private vehicles thanks to the availability of car-sharing systems (research suggests that around 13-17% of car sharers sell a private car), and where LZEVs are used in sharing schemes.
In case car-sharing schemes attract trips from more sustainable modes, they can also lead to overall CO2 emissions increases. Demand management measures (e.g. adequate pricing measures or restrictions for private motorised vehicle use) that can help ensure that car sharing leads to sustainable mode shifts should therefore be put in place in tandem with car-sharing schemes.
There are costs related to the installation, operation and maintenance of a car-sharing system. Typically these costs are borne by the car-sharing operator, who may be able to operate a profitable system if usage rates and vehicle utilisation rates are sufficient. For car-sharing schemes in the United States, it was estimated that a monthly revenue of around USD 1 700 (US dollars) per vehicle can be achieved with a utilisation rate of 35% of the vehicles.
Public authorities may subsidise car-sharing systems if they deem the services relevant for improving the mobility offer in the concerned area. Such subsidies may take the form of direct financial aid, or may be provided indirectly (e.g. via preferential parking rights, or discounts in parking charges or the provision of public space for parking and/or vehicle recharging infrastructure [where EVs are deployed]).
Car sharing may enhance the use of alternative, more sustainable modes, including public transport and active modes, which replace car trips, especially where vehicle ownership rates drop thanks to shared services.
Car-sharing systems using LZEVs can also support an accelerated uptake of these vehicles, promote their overall use in the public and hereby contribute to accelerated cost decreases of these technologies.
The use of parking spaces for shared vehicles can put additional pressure on often already limited public space and parking.
Shared vehicle trips may replace trips of more environmentally friendly modes, contributing to increased levels of road traffic, congestion and related emissions, especially where conventional, non‑ultra‑low‑emission shared vehicles are used.
ITF (2021) Transport Climate Action Directory – Car sharing
https://www.itf-oecd.org/policy/car-sharing
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