Car sharing is a flexible and inexpensive way to stay mobile – without your own car. It therefore offers an environmentally friendly alternative to classic car seat.
What is car sharing?
Car sharing, also known as “auto parts”, refers to the organized, joint use of motor vehicles by a larger group of people, as the Federal Association of Carsharing explains. In contrast to private car seats, car sharing provides access to vehicles if necessary, without the obligations of your own car.
The vehicles are usually provided by car sharing providers and can be booked independently around the clock. The booking is usually made via apps or websites. They use digital technologies for booking, vehicle access and billing. Telematics systems enable the vehicles to be opened and closed via smartphone as well as the real-time transmission of vehicle data such as GPS position and fuel stand.
Car sharing contributes to reducing private car seats: a car sharing vehicle can replace up to 16 private cars. This leads to fewer vehicles on the streets, reduces the need for parking spaces and lowers the environmental impact on emissions.
Car sharing models
There are different car sharing models. On the one hand, there is station -based car sharing: With this variant, the vehicles are in fixed parking spaces, from which they have to be picked up and brought back after use. This model is particularly suitable for users who regularly plan and value availability.
With free floating car sharing, the vehicles are freely available within a defined business area and can be parked within this area after use in any locations. This enables spontaneous trips without fixed return points. Some providers combine station-based and free floating car sharing to combine the advantages of both models and offer greater flexibility.
The peer-to-peer car sharing refers to vehicles from private individuals who are rented to other private individuals. This is usually done via digital platforms that process booking, payment and insurance. The handover can be done personally or digitally. However, the framework contractual regulation and the assurance of the bookability of a free trip are missing.
Differences to the classic rental car
In contrast to traditional car rental, car sharing offers greater flexibility: vehicles can be booked and used around the clock, often without a minimum rental period. In the case of rental cars, vehicles usually have to be picked up and brought back during opening hours, and additional costs such as tank fillings are incurred.
Cost structure and billing
Car sharing users usually only pay for the actual use of the vehicle based on time and/or kilometers. Costs for insurance, maintenance and fuel are usually included in the price. This makes car sharing particularly attractive for people who drive less than 12,500 kilometers per year, as it can be more cost -effective than its own car.
Editor finance.net