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

The number of car club vehicles available in London has dropped by 89% since Zipcar ended its service in December 2025, according to data from charity CoMoUK, pushing some former users toward private car ownership. [1] Before Zipcar's withdrawal, approximately 2,800 car club vehicles were available for rent across the capital. [1] Six months later, only 330 vehicles remained in service, with just about 100 of those added since the end of the year. [1] Richard Dilks, CoMoUK chief executive, described the contraction as a "catastrophic result for a sector that is doing well across Europe." [1] "We're massively down overall," Dilks said. [1] The exit of the Avis Budget-owned operator has left a void that competitors have yet to fill. [1] Free2move, owned by Stellantis, Enterprise Car Club, and the British company Co Wheels have all stated they are considering expansion in London, but none have announced a decision to meaningfully increase their fleets. [1] Peer-to-peer services Hiyacar and Turo have reported increased interest, though their model depends on private owners listing their own cars. [1] A CoMoUK survey of 216 former Zipcar users found that 9% had already bought or leased a vehicle to replace the car club, while 55% said they were considering doing so. [1] The shift threatens to reverse the environmental and congestion benefits car clubs provide by reducing the overall need for vehicle ownership. [1] London possesses characteristics that should make it a strong market for shared mobility, including extensive public transport and a population where 42% of residents do not own a car. [1] However, Dilks pointed to the lack of centralized rules as a key barrier. While some of London's 32 boroughs have cut fees and simplified licensing, the inconsistent patchwork makes it onerous to establish operations across the entire city. [1] Other shared transport modes, such as dockless electric bicycles from Lime and Forest, are managed centrally by Transport for London. [1] "If there's viability, then there should be a queue of people knocking on the door," Dilks said. "But there's not, and there's not one door." [1] A decade ago, TfL set a target of reaching a million car club users by 2025, but the current vehicle count is now less than a fifth of what it was then. [1]