Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

car2go Usage Increases 40% in First Half 2017

Usage of car2go increased by 40% year-over-year in the first half of 2017 compared to the first half of 2016 across all 11 of the service's North American locations. Among car2go's locations, New York, Toronto, and Vancouver have experienced the fastest year-over-year membership growth.

by Staff
August 9, 2017
car2go Usage Increases 40% in First Half 2017

car2go currently offers Mercedes-Benz vehicles in eight of its 11 North American locations. Photo courtesy of car2go

2 min to read


car2go currently offers Mercedes-Benz vehicles in eight of its 11 North American locations. Photo courtesy of car2go

car2go N.A. has seen an increase in its carsharing service during the first six months of 2017.

Usage of car2go increased by 40% year-over-year in the first half of 2017 compared to the first half of 2016 across all 11 of the service's North American locations — with more than 4.5 million trips taken so far this year.

Ad Loading...

car2go members have also spent 33% more time traveling in car2gos in the first half of 2017 versus the first half of 2016, according to the company.

"car2go is an increasingly important part of more and more peoples' lives, and it's so satisfying to see how we are tangibly improving quality of life through carshare in cities across North America," said Paul DeLong, CEO of car2go North America. "We are continually working to help more people in cities travel easily and affordably, and are in discussions with a number of additional cities who — like us — want to deliver the many economic and environmental benefits of one-way carsharing to their residents and visitors."

In January, car2go started offering Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Since then, car2go currently offers larger four-door, five passenger Mercedes-Benz vehicles in eight of the service’s 11 North American locations. According to the company, it plans to bring Mercedes-Benz vehicles to additional North American locations and will eventually have a North American fleet made up predominantly of Mercedes-Benz CLA and GLA vehicles.

"In July 2016, we released results of our three-year study examining the impact of one-way carsharing across five North American cities,” said Susan Shaheen, co-director of the University of California Berkeley's Transportation Sustainability Research Center. “Across the cities, we found that one-way carsharing services, like car2go, were responsible for removing up to 11 other vehicles from urban streets while also reducing carbon emissions on net. It's encouraging to see that car2go's membership not only continues to rise, but that car2go's members are opting to choose carsharing more frequently when they travel."

Among car2go's locations, New York, Toronto, and Vancouver have experienced the fastest year-over-year membership growth in the first half of this 2017. Vancouver tops all North American car2go membership with over 135,000 local members. In the U.S., Seattle leads with more than 95,000 members.

More Rental Operations

an exotic car wrapped in an insurance policy
Rental Operations•October 1, 2026

The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals

Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.

Read More →
globe of world and drivers license from UK
Rental Operations•September 28, 2026

The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?

For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.

Read More →
Scenes from Car Rental Shows past
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 23, 2026

ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers

The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
hand holding phone and Turo logo
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 21, 2026

Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service

Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.

Read More →
plane, palm trees, car rental sign
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•September 15, 2026

Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap

A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.

Read More →
Team members of U-Save's new franchise
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 15, 2026

U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana

The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A traveler searches for rental cars with an AI bot
Rental Operations•September 14, 2026

When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?

As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)

Read More →
map of europe and summer car rental rates
Rental Operations•September 11, 2026

European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country

Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.

Read More →
thumbnail of Chris Brown and Mike DeLorenzo with title Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•September 8, 2026

Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?

As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Woman receiving car rental rates on computer from AI agent
Rental Operations•September 1, 2026

Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental

Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)

Read More →
Ad Loading...