Description
Car2Go is launched in Vancouver, leading to further growth in car-sharing.
Significance
After the introduction of Car2Go, car-sharing in Vancouver expanded rapidly, as did interest in electric vehicles, leading to the growth of electric-car charging stations in the city.
A Metro Vancouver report said the emergence of car-sharing is affordable and has changed the way people move around parts of the region and allows households in the urban core to enhance their mobility.
The growth in car-sharing led to partnerships between the car companies and developers. Developers also have examined whether car-sharing should be seen as an amenity and a way to save on expensive parking infrastructure.
Background
- Modo, founded in 1997 as the Co-operative Auto Network, was Vancouver’s first car-share service. It was followed by Zipcar in 2007, Car2Go in 2011 and Evo (by BCAA) in 2016. The four compoanies have 2,182 cars between them.
- Vancouver was the first Canadian city to use Car2Go. The company was established by Daimler in Germany in 2008, using Smart Cars.
- Vancouver is the first city in the world to exceed 100,000 Car2Go members.
Sources
(Updated for 2016)
- Car2Go Vancouver website
- Metro Vancouver. The Metro Vancouver Car Share Study Technical Report, November 2014
- Jackson, Emily, Metro News. Is Vancouver the car sharing capital of North America?, March 27, 2014.
- Matthew Robinson. Vancouver Sun: Vancouver’s density helps it reach car-sharing milestone. February 29, 2016
- B.C. Business. Vancouver developers eye benefits of car-sharing, April 20, 2016.
- Sightline Institute. And the most car-sharing city in Cascadia is…. March 10, 2016