August 31, 2015

Zipcar Acquires Community Car to Enhance Car Sharing in Madison

BOSTON, August 31, 2015 — Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, today announced it has acquired Community Car, a sharing company based in Madison, Wisconsin, to provide residents and visitors with greater alternative transportation options. Zipcars will soon be deployed at all Community Car locations, providing Madisonians with a greater variety of vehicles and car sharing options. The terms of the acquisition were not announced. 

 

Community Car was founded in 2003 with a mission to reduce carbon dioxide emissions produced by vehicles and provide a cost-effective transportation option to community members. Since then, it grew its fleet from three to 19 vehicles, and developed a vibrant, local car sharing organization that provides Madison-area residents with an affordable alternative to car ownership.

 

“We share Community Car’s vision of reducing car ownership in Madison,” said Kaye Ceille, president of Zipcar. “With 15 years of operating experience, Zipcar can further accelerate the growth of car sharing in Madison, alleviating congestion and parking challenges, reducing C02 emissions and making the great city of Madison an even better place to live.”

Zipcar’s launch in Madison will build on a successful program at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. With residents of Madison already using Zipcar at the University, the company is eager to provide members with convenient access to wheels where they live, work and play. Zipcar members will soon be able reserve and drive vehicles throughout the city at the ten new Zipcar locations, known as “pods,” or in any one of the hundreds of cities and towns around the world where Zipcar operates, including more than 50 major airports.

 

“It has been an exciting ride to be a part of the burgeoning sharing economy,” said Sonya Newenhouse, Community Car founder and president. “We’ve enjoyed the heartwarming stories of how car sharing has transformed the lives of our members, by owning less and living more. Zipcar helped us get going 13 years ago and we couldn’t be happier to have them continue what we’ve started here in Madison.”

Zipcar gives its members on-demand access to a variety of cars in hundreds of cities, airports and college campuses worldwide. With Zipcars available 24/7 for reservation via Zipcar’s mobile app, through www.zipcar.com, or over the phone, Zipcar is a smart transportation option for those who only need a car by the hour or by the day. Each reservation includes gas, insurance and 180 miles per day. For more information on Zipcar, visit www.zipcar.com.

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About Zipcar
Zipcar, the world's leading car sharing network, has operations in urban areas and college campuses throughout Austria, Canada, France, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. Zipcar offers more than 50 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for smart, simple and convenient solutions to their urban and campus transportation needs. Zipcar is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAR), a leading global provider of vehicle rental services. More information is available at www.zipcar.com.

 

Media Contact:
Katelyn Chesley, public relations specialist

617.678.7206

[email protected]