London has lost 'catastrophic' 89% of car club vehicles since Zipcar exit
News Source
β’Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:00:32 GMT
π° What Happened
London has lost 89% of its car club vehicles since Zipcar left the city in late 2025. Only 330 cars are now available for rent through car clubs, down from 2,800 before Zipcar's exit. A survey found that 9% of former Zipcar users have already bought or leased a car, and 55% are thinking about doing so. Other companies like Free2move and Enterprise Car Club are looking at expanding in London but have not made firm commitments yet. The loss is being called 'catastrophic' by transport experts.
π The Backstory
Car clubs let people rent cars by the hour using a phone app. They are popular in cities where owning a car is expensive and parking is hard to find. Zipcar was the biggest player in London's car club market. It pulled out in December 2025 because it was losing money. The exit left a huge gap in London's transport options. Many Londoners without cars used Zipcar for shopping trips, moving items, or weekend drives. The loss of car club vehicles may push more people to buy their own cars, which goes against the city's goals of reducing traffic and pollution.
π― Why It Matters
Fewer car club cars means more people may buy cars, adding to traffic and pollution. It also hits people who cannot afford a car but need one sometimes.
London has lost 89% of its car club vehicles since Zipcar left the city in late 2025. Only 330 cars are now available for rent through car clubs, down from 2,800 before Zipcar's exit. A survey found that 9% of former Zipcar users have already bought or leased a car, and 55% are thinking about doing so. Other companies like Free2move and Enterprise Car Club are looking at expanding in London but have not made firm commitments yet. The loss is being called 'catastrophic' by transport experts.
Car clubs let people rent cars by the hour using a phone app. They are popular in cities where owning a car is expensive and parking is hard to find. Zipcar was the biggest player in London's car club market. It pulled out in December 2025 because it was losing money. The exit left a huge gap in London's transport options. Many Londoners without cars used Zipcar for shopping trips, moving items, or weekend drives. The loss of car club vehicles may push more people to buy their own cars, which goes against the city's goals of reducing traffic and pollution.
Fewer car club cars means more people may buy cars, adding to traffic and pollution. It also hits people who cannot afford a car but need one sometimes.