Zipcar to cease UK operations

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

Just got the following email. This is a shame as I have used them a few times in the past, and whenever I see they have a new car I always hire it for an hour to see what it is like.

Zipcar proposes to cease its UK operations
I’m writing to let you know that we are proposing to cease the UK operations of Zipcar and have today started formal consultation with our UK employees.

We will temporarily suspend bookings, pending the outcome of this consultation. This means it will not be possible to make any new bookings beyond 31st December 2025, pending the outcome of the consultation.

Although we propose to cease operations in the UK, your account will remain open until the final decision is made following the consultation process.

This means you’re still able to use Zipcars until 31st December 2025. If you would like to see what other car sharing options there are in your area, please visit the national charity for shared transport, CoMoUK’s website.

If you have any questions, please visit our Help Centre. 

Yours sincerely,

James Taylor
General Manager, Zipcar UK

[Chicken_Satay]

I saw this, too. I wonder, specifically, what challenges they have faced in making it a success in the UK.

I've used them occasionally, maybe once a year. Ultimately, I usually found it was better value to just use a regular hire car for the day.

[leggerito]

I was once in the target market - Zone 2/3 London, professional, only had 2 seater and needed a practical car. Still, didn't really get the value proposition - pricing worked out as high as Uber. A couple of times I had to walk upwards of 10-15 minutes to get to one, only to discover it had a ruptured tyre.

In the end bought a VW Up.

[grumbledoak]

I never really understood why the economics of these would be any different to the existing hire car services.

Did they get a subsidy like the Boris bikes?

[GoodDoc]

Also a user of the service since the ULEZ expanded and I sold my 60+ MPG Euro 5 only diesel car (annoyingly, if it had been a few months newer it would have been a Euro 6 model year, not something I realised when I bought it years before the first ULEZ was introduced).

I found getting by without a car easier than I expected, and Zipcar helped for a couple of situations.

What did annoy me was while I paid by the hour, the millage allowance was per day. When hiring for one hour I never came close to the 60 mile limit, but if I hired for three hours (still cheaper and easier than hiring a car for the day) I easily exceeded the 60 mile allowance.

I've also noticed the closest car (just 150 metres away) had been gone for a few months, and once I have to get the bus to get to the next nearest car it quickly starts to lose its appeal.

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

Apparently they have a fleet of 1000 electric cars and this may be related to the congestion charge including electric cars on 2nd January 2026.

Have to say, on the few occasions I have hired them for a few hours it has been way more convenient to walk 5 minutes up the road to collect it and drop it off in the same place. Also £9 an hour with fuel included (60 miles worth anyway) is excellent value.

But I also own a car and only hire them to drive new cars and the very occasional van, so definitely not their target audience. I have also noticed that the one closest to me is often free for days at a time.

[mgtony]

Have they already got rid of their vans? Was just saying to someone the other day that a couple of bays which used to hold 2 vans each hadn't had any for a few weeks. They were always popular and used regularly.

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

mgtony said:

Have they already got rid of their vans? Was just saying to someone the other day that a couple of bays which used to hold 2 vans each hadn't had any for a few weeks. They were always popular and used regularly.

And don't have a straight panel on them by the time they have 3000 miles on the clock. It is pretty clear that the average person who doesn't regularly drive is not competent to drive a van.

I would imagine the repair costs were more than the profit they made per van?

[AC43]

Shame, I found the vans really handy when my wife found something in eBay that wouldn't fit in my E Class estate.

Way way easier than schlepping miles to a hire car place and have to do the same in reverse - there were always several Zip Vans a few minute's walk away.

Bummer.

[SydneyBridge]

I saw a van at the rubbish dump at the weekend
Really surprised at this, they do not have much competition in London but cannot be making money

Edited by SydneyBridge on Monday 1st December 16:32

[soad]

https://www.cityam.com/zipcar-uk-to-shut-operation...

[DP14]

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

Zipcar proposes to cease its UK operations...we are proposing to cease the UK operations...We will temporarily suspend bookings, pending the outcome of this consultation...pending the outcome of the consultation...we propose to cease operations...until the final decision is made...

What a strange announcement, or rather a box-ticking one to go through the motions.

[Chicken_Satay]

soad said:

https://www.cityam.com/zipcar-uk-to-shut-operation...

It's unfortunate that a car sharing scheme that was set up to reduce the number of vehicles on the road (and with goals aimed at helping the environment via electric vehicles) helps to get killed off by the introduction of a congestion charge inclusive of car share electric vehicles...

[hidetheelephants]

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

And don't have a straight panel on them by the time they have 3000 miles on the clock. It is pretty clear that the average person who doesn't regularly drive is not competent to drive a van.

I would imagine the repair costs were more than the profit they made per van?

Does a van need repairs beyond bashing it back to approximate shape and paint to prevent rust? Roadworthiness is more important to me, whenever I've rented a van it's had scrapes and bashes and I've not cared about it as long as it started and stopped.