High gas prices at the pump are putting a financial strain on drivers everywhere. And with increasing geopolitical conflicts and worsening climate change, transitioning to less oil-dependent transportation is more important than ever. Urbanites must rethink personal transportation to drive oil demand down a more sustainable road and ease price pain felt by everyone. 

Recently, the International Energy Agency released a “10 Point Plan,” on how the world can cut oil use. One of the key points was car sharing, a more sustainable transportation option Zipcar pioneered more than 20 years ago. 

Car sharing tackles the problem of mass personal car ownership and its negative environmental and societal effects like fuel consumption, carbon emissions, high costs, and transportation inequity. When paired with other multi-modal transportation options like public transit, walking, or biking, car sharing helps city dwellers rethink their personal transportation. Car sharers only drive when necessary, which translates to fewer cars on the road, less fuel use, and less financial pressure related to oil. 

We also know from our 2021 Impact Report, each Zipcar takes up to 13 personally owned cars off the road. In our ten leading markets, our members have helped take 140,000 cars off city streets. That’s a major drop in fuel use. 

In addition to the social and environmental benefits, Zipcar represents a better solution than the high cost and hassle of car ownership for urbanites. Zipcar includes dedicated parking at the start and end of your trip, up to 180-miles of driving, secondary insurance, and fuel, so our members always save at the pump. 

Because Zipcar members use sustainable transportation, they directly impact fuel consumption in five significant ways, including: 

1. Reducing Personal Cars on the Road: Car owners drive more than car sharers: 75% of Zipsters do not own a car, 19% got rid of their vehicle after joining Zipcar, 45% of Zipcar members postponed buying or leasing a car, and 41% would buy a car if Zipcar disappeared.   

2. Driving Fewer Miles: After joining, Zipcar members drive 40% fewer miles than they did previously, and if car sharing wasn't available, members would drive 73% more than their current levels. In New York City alone, Zipcar members drove 90% fewer miles than the average number of miles driven each year by NYC households. 

3. Taking Fewer Single-Occupancy Trips: Single occupancy trips increase the number of cars on the road. Compared to the average driver, Zipcar members carpool more (1.85 people per Zipcar trip vs. 1.67 people per trip nationally). And, for every 100 trips, Zipcar takes six cars off the road through higher vehicle occupancy.  

4. Driving with Purpose: Short vehicle trips contribute significantly to climate issues and congestion, and nearly half of all vehicle trips in the U.S. are less than three miles. The average Zipcar member takes longer, purpose-driven trips with an average length of 50 miles and an average duration of 8 hours, and for shorter trips they are walking, biking, or using transit.  

5. Rethinking Personal Transportation: Zipcar is a vital part of cities’ multi-modal transportation systems. Our members can access a car when they need one, and 85% walk, 13% bike or scoot, and 28% ride transit for most of their day-to-day trips. And the less driving they do, the less fuel they use.  

Imagine the negative impact on cities if all Zipcar members owned cars: they’d use more gas, cause more carbon emissions, and take up more curb space.