Brits are increasingly choosing to travel in shared electric vehicles, according to new data from Zipcar, the UK’s leading car sharing network. Marking the first anniversary of the introduction of its fleet of electric vehicles – 325 Volkswagen e-Golfs – Zipcar UK reveals growth in the popularity of EV driving with over one million miles travelled in the new EV fleet.
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 after the government scrapped a £2,500 grant.* Over 42,600 Londoners now have accessed electric vehicles in London – 22,000 from Zipcar, and 20,600** privately owned EVs.
Zipcar reports that 22,000 unique members have used their fleet of EVs since it launched in July 2018. This indicates that the new 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.
- Zipcar UK membership is now at 280,000 and has grown by 33 per cent in the past year
- There are 3,000 Zipcar vehicles in London
- Zipcar now partners with five charging companies across London and, in the past year, has undertaken 10,000 car charges helping strengthen the business case for further private sector investment in infrastructure
- Over 200,000 trips completed for EVs have been made in the past year alone
- 1 million journeys completed in Zipcar Flex – in both electric and petrol cars – since its launch in 2017
Jonathan Hampson, General Manager, Zipcar UK, says: “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”
Krithika Srinivasan
Regular Zipcar EV driver, Krithika Srinivasan, Art Director and Stylist, said “I’ve always been a fan of Zipcar but I absolutely love driving their electric vehicles. As a freelance art director and stylist, sustainability is my USP. So for me, Zipcar not only supports me with my hectic schedule and busy business needs but also with my core values.”
Zipcar UK has been steadily growing its offering for London members over the past few years. Members have access to two ways of using Zipcar’s vehicles: Roundtrip and Flex. Zipcar Roundtrip, available throughout London, whereby members can pick up a car from a Car Club bay, drive, and return the car to its original spot; and Zipcar Flex, the one-way, drive and drop service that launched in July 2017 and has proved hugely popular and is now operating in 11 boroughs, with more in the pipeline.
Zipcar’s EV offer forms part of Flex, making EV car sharing a greener, cleaner solution when it comes to meeting Londoners’ everyday car and transport needs.
