Car sharing is becoming a popular mobility option in Europe, offering convenience, affordability, and environmental benefits.
This growth is not uniform across Europe. Germany remains the leader with the highest presence of car sharing companies, followed by Spain, Italy and France. However, Eastern Europe is experiencing the fastest growth.
With a growing number of companies and users, the car sharing market is expected to reach an impressive volume of €5.42 billion by 2028! This will equal 21.3 million users that same year (according to a report done by Statista).
Rapid Growth of European Car Sharing
Europe leads the world in car sharing, with a majority of the global market share. Several factors are driving this explosive growth. These are:
Technological advances
Easy-to-use apps and integrated mobility platforms are key. Traditional car rentals are inconvenient, with high deposits, no way to guarantee a particular model, and long pick-up and drop-off processes. Car sharing companies provide a convenient alternative to rentals.
Urbanization
As cities grow, car ownership becomes less practical. This drives demand for flexible alternatives, which is where car sharing comes in.
Environmental awareness
Concerns about sustainability are driving individuals toward greener options. Car sharing reduces car ownership, resulting in lower emissions.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining significant traction, with companies such as Share Now and Free2Move expanding their EV fleets. This is in line with Europe’s sustainability goals and appeals to environmentally conscious consumers.
Economic benefits
Car sharing provides low-cost transportation, especially for occasional drivers. This reduces individual car ownership costs.
The Future of Car Sharing Companies in Europe
The future of car sharing is particularly bright in Europe, with integration with other mobility services (MaaS) such as public transport and ride-hailing creating seamless travel experiences.
As legislation adapts and infrastructure improves, car sharing will become an even more important part of Europe’s sustainable transportation future.
In fact, here are some quick predictions for the European car sharing market by 2028 (source: Statista)
- 21.3 million users
- €5.42 billion market volume
- 92% of the revenue generated from online sales
- User penetration increase from 2.4% (2024) to 2.5%
- Average Revenue Per User €251.46
Top Car Sharing Companies In Europe
The most popular business model is free-floating, which allows users to rent cars anywhere and pay by the minute. However, other business models are gaining popularity too. These include roundtrip and one-way rentals, as well as peer-to-peer car sharing. These are some of the key players in the European car sharing market.
ShareNow- Largest Car Sharing Company in Europe
ShareNow is one of the largest car sharing companies in Europe. With a commanding 16% market share, this is the undisputed leader. Formed from the merger of Mercedes-Benz and BMW’s car-sharing services, it has a wide range of vehicles in 17 European cities.
Recently acquired by Free2Move, it offers additional services such as car rental and ride-hailing, creating a comprehensive mobility ecosystem.
ShareNow focuses on Western Europe, having left the Hungarian market in late 2023.
Sixt Share
Sixt is a giant in the traditional car rental market that has also launched a car sharing service. This car sharing company offers a free-floating service in Germany and the Netherlands.
Zipcar
Owned by Avis Budget Group, Zipcar has an 11% market share and operates in major cities worldwide.
It has the largest car-sharing fleet in the UK, and also operates in Iceland, Turkey, and multiple markets outside Europe.
Miles
Miles is another major player in Western Europe, with a focus on the German market.
This free-floating car sharing service has a fleet of over 21,000 vehicles and over 2 million registered users.
Miles operates in 15 cities in Germany and Belgium.
Getaround- Peer to Peer Car Sharing
A peer-to-peer car-sharing platform, Getaround allows users to rent cars from private owners.
The company operates in more than 300 cities worldwide, including various European markets.
It’s particularly popular in France and the UK, although also present in Germany, Belgium, Norway, Austria, and Spain.
It appeals to budget-conscious users and those looking for a unique selection of vehicles.
Turo- P2P Car Sharing
Similar to Getaround, Turo is one of the car sharing companies that allows users to rent cars from private owners.
The company operates in more than 560 cities worldwide.
Though it focuses on the US market, the service is also available in France and the UK (as well as countries outside Europe).
Movitronic- White Label Solution for Car Sharing Companies
Movitronic offers a white-label app solution that allows car sharing companies to transform their free-floating or station-based business.
The key features include the essentials, such as a map to find the nearest car and a booking system, as well as driver behavior tracking, an insightful admin panel, and easy integration with third-party fleet management software to streamline operations.
Find out more about the Movitronic car sharing solution.
