With air quality high on the agenda, it was clear that car club vehicles have an important role as a cost effective way for Londoners to access the cleanest vehicles. Research this year shows that the entire fleet is compliant with emissions charging proposals, and includes ultra-low emission electric and hybrid electric vehicles.
Car club members often give up their own cars when they join. In 2016 they gave up 31,000 private cars. Car use in London has fallen 25% over the past 10 years, as car clubs have grown over this time.
Executive Director Alistair Kirkbride said: “Car clubs can make a huge contribution to improving air quality. Not only are they cleaner, with low or no tailpipe emissions, but car club members drive less than average Londoners. If we could get one million people to give up cars and drive car club vehicles instead we could see a huge improvement in air quality – and a reduction in congestion and the space our crowded capital gives to cars.”
In the UK, there are over 245,000 car club members with more than 4,000 vehicles in the UK. Car club members walk, cycle and use public transport more than the national average. Car clubs provide alternatives to car ownership, reducing the number of cars on the roads.