Electric car-sharing on the rise for UK Zipcar users

Brits are increasingly choosing to travel in shared electric vehicles, according to new data from car-sharing firm Zipcar.

Indicative of the continuing trend for car-sharing as opposed to ownership, the success of EV rentals comes as sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles slumped by 50.4 per cent in June 2019 after the government scrapped a £2,500 grant. Over 42,600 Londoners now have accessed electric vehicles in London.

Zipcar has reported that 22,000 unique members have used its fleet of EVs since it launched in July 2018. This indicates that the option to drive an EV is creating a surge in electric car sharing in the UK, as well as supporting the growth in car sharing overall. 

Jonathan Hampson, General Manager, Zipcar, UK, said: “We are delighted to see how popular this electric part of our offering is proving. Car sharing is already one of the most sustainable ways to use a car when you need one in the capital but it is fantastic to be able to extend this and make EV driving accessible to all. We are proud of the positive contribution this is having to reduce pollution in the capital and are now fully focused on achieving our aim of a fully electric fleet by 2025.”

Electric car-sharing has been steadily growing throughout London over the past few years as fears over climate change worsen and people are driven to change their lifestyles to protect the planet.