People who are using pay-as-you-drive automobile services are saving thousands by swapping private ownership for pre-booked rentals.
Research by Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK) has found that the average British car club member is saying £2,800 per year compared with private car owners. The average club membership costs £675 per year, compared with almost £3,500 in costs for owning a car.
The numbers come from a study including 6,000 individual car club users. Among other things, it revealed that for every vehicle available through a subscription platform, 23 privately owned rides are taken off the streets. In turn, this has led to around 300 miles of open kerbside space being made available since the first clubs were introduced — further than the journey from London to Newcastle.
Other key findings include:
- After joining a car club, users reduce their total car mileage by an average of 2,112 miles per year.
- Each car club user produces 42% fewer carbon emissions annually than the average due to this reduction.
- Almost a third (32%) of car club members use a bicycle at least once a week, compared to the national average of only 13%.
- Almost half (48%) use a bus at least weekly, more than double the national average of 23%.
- 29% of users with a disability said they would not have been able to make their most common journey without a car club.
- All car club vehicles in the UK are compliant with low emission zones, while half are under two years old.
Despite the positive findings about car clubs and their impact, CoMoUK has also warned that UK capacity is falling. Last year saw Zipcar exit Britain’s car club market, removing 46% of all available vehicles nationally and 92% in London — the impact has not been factored into this latest study. Other operators also saw their fleet sizes cut in 2025.
‘Our latest research shows that car sharing remains incredibly popular and is of huge importance to users, offering a flexible and affordable alternative to owning a private car. The data is clear: car club members drive significantly less and use public transport and active travel much more frequently than the average person,’ said Richard Dilks, Chief Executive of CoMoUK.
‘Ensuring these schemes can thrive and grow is essential for any government serious about meeting net zero targets and reducing traffic congestion,’ he continued. ‘However, this year’s report highlights several major warning signs, including the exit of Zipcar from the UK and the declining share of electric vehicles in fleets. This must serve as a wake-up call to policymakers across the UK to address these challenges, and help maximise the many positive impacts car clubs have on the environment and our transport system.’
Image: Marc Kleen/ Unsplash
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