Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Advertising creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Car-sharing programs have more than 300,000 U.S. members
- Car sharing still relatively young in the U.S., controlled by three interests
- Zipcar
- Car rental operators
- Non-profits
- Car-share operators market through word of mouth or partnerships
- Car-sharing awareness, participation extremely low among respondents
- Car sharing skewed more towards high income earners as second cars
- Car ownership most significant obstacle preventing car sharing
Insights and Opportunities
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- Market car sharing to urban families through car seats, larger vehicle stock
- Car-sharing companies should appeal to user vanity through luxury
Inspire Insights
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- Trend 1: Staying Connected
- Socialization and interdependency are the biggest things on the internet
- Car-sharing operators use social networking to facilitate ridership
- Trend 2: Tracking Our Location
- The geo-spatial web is changing our relationship to our space
- GPS can connect car share members to actual vehicles, wherever they are
Competitive Context
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- Carpooling positioned to share rides among users within single vehicle
- New York City explores the possibilities of sharing cab rides among riders
- Daimler launches pilot program to offer easy access to Smart Fortwos
- European-style automated bicycle sharing arrives in Washington, DC
Market Drivers
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- Fewer miles traveled may create increased reliance on car sharing
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- Figure 1: Consumer vehicle miles traveled, all U.S. roads and streets, 1998-2008
- Downturn in rentals forces some car rental companies to pursue sharing
- As new car sales decline, consumers may rely more on car sharing
- Municipalities encouraging car-sharing incentives for new home developers
- Toyota launches electric brand targeted just for car-sharing users
- Municipalities, corporations creating exclusive pacts to car share
Car-sharing Segments
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- Key points
- Car sharing is controlled by Zipcar, car rental companies, non-profits
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- Figure 2: Annual membership fees and rates and cities available, national U.S. car-share companies, 2009
Zipcar
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- Key points
- Zipcar dominates car sharing, having vehicle fleets in more than 50 cities
- Zipcar emphasizes convenience more than environmental advocacy
- FastFleet generates revenues through selling car-share technology
Rental Car Companies
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- Key points
- Car rental companies alter car-share market by launching branded service
- Connect by Hertz
- WeCar
- U Car Share
Non-profits
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- Key points
- Non-profit car-share programs strive to decrease driving in urban areas
- Key non-profit car-share programs
Brand Qualities
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- OZOcar promotes environmental stewardship through hybrid-only fleet
- Curvy Road’s car-sharing plans provide exclusive rights to fantasy cars
Innovation and Innovators
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- iPhone applications connect passengers, drivers together to share rides
- Zipcar, I-GO create partnerships with public transit to increase ridership
- Zipcar generates additional revenue by licensing car-sharing software
Advertising and Promotion
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- Car sharing is promoted locally through partnerships, word of mouth
- Car-share companies cross-promote with local businesses for discounts
- Online marketing remains growing opportunity for car-share companies
- Zipcar promoted through local, not national, broadcast media outlets
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- Figure 3: Zipcar ad, 2009
Car Sharing—Consumer Awareness
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- Key points
- Car-sharing awareness dramatically low; growth potential high
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- Figure 4: Car share awareness, by gender, March 2009
- Early career professionals likely to show more awareness than older peers
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- Figure 5: Car-sharing awareness, by age, March 2009
- Car-sharing awareness rates highest with the wealthiest respondents
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- Figure 6: Car share awareness, by household income, March 2009
- Awareness highest on both coasts; room to grow in nation’s middle, south
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- Figure 7: Car share awareness, by region, March 2009
Car Sharing—Participation
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- Key points
- Car share membership skews low, suggesting opportunity for growth
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- Figure 8: Car-share participation, by gender, March 2009
- Respondents aged 25-34 are most likely to have car share memberships
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- Figure 9: Car-share participation, by age, March 2009
- The most affluent are most likely to be car-sharing members
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- Figure 10: Car-share participation, by household income, March 2009
Car Sharing—Reasons Against Participating
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- Key points
- Vehicle ownership primary concern among potential car share members
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- Figure 11: Reasons against car-share participation, by gender, March 2009
- Vehicle inventory needed most in neighborhoods where younger users live
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- Figure 12: Reasons against car-sharing participation, by age, March 2009
- Middle-income households present challenge for car-share operators
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- Figure 13: Reasons against car-sharing participation, by household income, March 2009
Impact of Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Blacks and Hispanics more aware of car sharing than whites
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- Figure 14: Car share awareness, by race/Hispanic origin, March 2009
- Hispanics show tendency to be more loyal to car sharing than others
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- Figure 15: Car-share participation, by race/Hispanic origin, March 2009
- Hispanics more likely open to car sharing, whites more tied to personal car
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- Figure 16: Reasons against car-share participation, by race/Hispanic origin, March 2009
Cluster Analysis
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- Publicists
- Who they are
- Opportunity
- Skeptics
- Who they are
- Opportunity
- Owners
- Who they are
- Opportunity
- Cluster characteristics
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- Figure 17: Don’t share my ride clusters, March 2009
- Figure 18: Car-share participation, by don’t share my ride clusters, March 2009
- Figure 19: Reasons against car-share participation, by don’t share my ride clusters, March 2009
- Cluster demographics
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- Figure 20: Don’t share my ride clusters, by gender, March 2009
- Figure 21: Don’t share my ride clusters, by age, March 2009
- Figure 22: Don’t share my ride clusters, by household income, March 2009
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- Figure 23: Don’t share my ride clusters, by race, March 2009
- Figure 24: Don’t share my ride clusters, by Hispanic origin, March 2009
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- Figure 25: Don’t share my ride clusters, by metropolitan environment, March 2009
- Cluster methodology
Appendix: Trade Associations
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