Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Car sharing membership declining
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- Figure 1: Car share memberships and fan chart forecast, 2011-21
- Most consumers still do not use car sharing services
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- Figure 2: Reason for not using car sharing, April 2016
- Car sharing still short on convenience for consumers
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- Figure 3: Car sharing user transportation habits, April 2016
- The opportunities
- Car sharing users can afford to spend more on mobility options
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- Figure 4: Car sharing users, by household income, April 2016
- Younger consumers more apt to use car sharing services
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- Figure 5: Attitudes toward car sharing, April 2016
- Hispanics are the most loyal demographic to their car sharing service
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Car sharing hits a roadblock
- Car sharing is still a niche service, appealing to a very limited demographic
- Demand for car sharing may decline as car sales rise
Market Size and Forecast
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- Car sharing growth sputters
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- Figure 6: Car share memberships and fan chart forecast, 2011-21
Market Perspective
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- Ride sharing “cuts off” car sharing and darts ahead
Market Factors
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- Improving economy lifts car sales, stalls car sharing
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- Figure 7: Total US unit sales of new and used light vehicles, 2010-15
- Lower gas prices lower value of car sharing
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- Figure 8: All grades all formulations retail gasoline prices, dollars per gallon, 2000-16
- Millennials are the main car share users
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- Figure 9: Share of US population by generation, 2016
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Zipcar has largest US presence of short-term car sharing
- Auto manufacturers enter car sharing business
- Infrastructure lacking for electric vehicle fleets
What’s Working?
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- Zipcar has highest name recognition among car sharing providers
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- Figure 10: Car sharing awareness among car sharing users, April 2016
- ReachNow sees immediate success in Seattle
What’s Struggling?
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- Electric vehicle fleets still lack infrastructure for widespread use
- Road ahead is unclear for peer-to-peer car sharing providers
- Younger consumers use car sharing less than older Millennials do
What’s Next?
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- Automakers put skin in car sharing game
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Car share users have cars, they just can’t or don’t want to use them
- Car share users are professional urban Millennials
- Zipcar and Enterprise dominate the space
- Necessity drives car sharing participation
Profile of Car Share Users
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- Car share users actually have cars
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- Figure 11: Number of vehicles in household, April 2016
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- Figure 12: Number of vehicles in household, April 2016
- Car share users are usually married with larger household sizes
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- Figure 13: Household size, April 2016
- Urban Millennials account for the majority of car sharing users
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- Figure 14: Car share users, by geographic area, April 2016
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- Figure 15: Transportation options, April 2016
Car Sharing Services Used
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- Zipcar and Enterprise dominate the space
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- Figure 16: Car sharing services used, April 2016
- Women more likely than men to use Zipcar
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- Figure 17: Car sharing services used, by gender, April 2016
- Figure 18: Zipcar digital ad, June 2015
Motivations of Car Sharing Users
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- Car sharing users look for convenience
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- Figure 19: Car sharing attitudes, April 2016
- Car sharers opt for sedans and crossovers
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- Figure 20: Car sharing vehicle type preference, April 2016
- Car share members are frequent users
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- Figure 21: Car sharing frequency, April 2016
- Car sharing provides an alternative for personal vehicles
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- Figure 22: Car sharing usage factors, April 2016
Reasons for Not Using Car Sharing
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- Necessity drives car sharing participation
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- Figure 23: Reasons for not using car sharing, April 2016
- Nonusers rely on household vehicles to address transportation needs
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- Figure 24: Transportation options among noncar share users, April 2016
- Automakers aim to appeal to nonusers
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Direct marketing creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 25: Total US car sharing memberships and forecast, 2010-15*
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