London has lost ‘catastrophic’ 89% of car club vehicles since Zipcar exit | Motoring

The number of car club cars in London has fallen by a “catastrophic” 89% since Zipcar ends its service in late 2025, with former users being pushed to consider buying or leasing.

Car clubs allow drivers to drive vehicles parked around a city, book and unlock them using apps. Zipcar dominated the London car club market before the US company’s shocking decision in December 2025. This has left a gap yet to be filled for Londoners without a car.

Six months after Zipcar withdrew, the number of car club vehicles available for hire in London was just 330, according to data from charity Collaborative Mobility (CoMoUK); the previous number was 2,800. Only 100 of these 330 cars have been added since the end of the year.

Former Zipcar users in the capital are considering turning to private vehicle ownership to fill the gap. According to a survey by CoMoUK, 9% of 216 former users said they had already bought or leased a car club replacement, while 55% said they were considering it.

The figures highlight the remaining gap in London’s ride-sharing market. Free2move, owned by automaker Stellantis, Enterprise Car Club and British company Co Wheels have said they are considering expanding in London, but none have yet announced a decision to increase numbers meaningfully. Peer-to-peer car-sharing companies Hiyacar and Turo have also seen increased interest, but they are now dependent on private owners listing their cars.

Car clubs reduce the overall need for vehicles, reduce carbon emissions and save ownership costs for users. However, clubs in some places have difficulty making money.

London should be one of Europe’s most attractive carpooling markets, with public transport widely available and 42% of the population without a car. However, this was withdrawn due to a lack of centralized rules and processes, according to CoMoUK CEO Richard Dilks.

“We’ve had a big decline overall,” he said. “This is a disastrous outcome for an industry that is doing well across Europe.”

Dilks said some London boroughs had cut fees and made licensing easier for car clubs, but added that the situation was still very inconsistent across London’s 32 boroughs, making it troublesome to set up in the capital. Other forms of shared transport, including dockless electric bikes from Lime and Forest, are now managed centrally by Transport for London.

“If there is viability, then there must be a tail knocking on the door,” Dilks said. “There are no buts and there is not a single door.”

Ten years ago TfL said He wanted one million car club users by 2025, but the number of vehicles is now less than a fifth of what it was then.

Zipcar was founded in the US in 2000 and merged with its UK counterpart Streetcar in 2010. But its current owner, US car rental company Avis Budget, has decided to pull the plug on its loss-making operation in London, leaving only its US operations.