“Growth in shared-use vehicle systems continues worldwide. Developments include public bikesharing, one-way carsharing, and peer-to-peer carsharing, along with more traditional or classic forms of carsharing (e.g., neighborhood, college/university, and business market),” stated Dr. Shaheen. “In 2012, we released three new publications on shared-use vehicle systems, including personal vehicle sharing (also known as peer-to-peer carsharing), worldwide carsharing, and North American public bikesharing.” Our latest research initiatives include a study of personal vehicle sharing operations and impacts in North America, a second-year study of North American public bikesharing, a carsharing linked to electric bikesharing in the San Francisco Bay Area, and an evaluation of one-way carsharing services.
The carsharing outlook highlights the following market developments:
Worldwide Carsharing:
- As of October 2012, carsharing was operating in 27 countries and 5 continents, accounting for an estimated 1,788,000 members sharing over 43,550 vehicles.
- North America remains the largest carsharing region, with Europe and North America accounting for 38.7% and 50.8% of worldwide carsharing membership, respectively.
- Europe accounts for the majority of fleets deployed in 2012: 47.0% in contrast to 36.2% in North America.
- As of October 2012, one-way carsharing was operating in seven countries worldwide including (Austria, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States).
- As of July 1, 2012, 19 Canadian operators claimed 101,502 members and shared 3,143 vehicles. In the United States, 806,332 members shared 12,634 vehicles among 26 operators. In Mexico, 750 members shared 18 vehicles among one operator.
- Between July 2011 and July 2012, carsharing membership grew 44.0% in the United States and 28.7% in Canada. Between July 2011 and July 2012, carsharing fleets grew 26.3% in the United States and 20.7% in Canada.
- As of July 2012, U.S. member-vehicle ratios were 64:1, representing a 13.9% increase over the previous year. In Canada, the ratio was 32:1, representing a 6.6% increase over the previous year.
- In North America, two carsharing operators were providing one-way carsharing services in six American and three Canadian metropolitan areas.
- As of October 2012, there were 33 personal vehicle sharing operators worldwide, with 10 active or in pilot phase, three planned, and four defunct in North America.
The full Outlook can be found below.
