Zipcar is set to cease operations in the UK 

Zipcar, the largest car-sharing company in the world, has announced that it will shut down its operation in the UK, which means that its shares fleet will cease to be available in all parts of London by the end of this year. 

The US car rental company Avis Budget, which owns the company, stated that it would put new reservations through the company on its app on hold after 31 December until the conclusion of a consultation on potential redundancies.

The firm that includes by-the-hour hires alongside greater rents on cars and vans has over 650,000 customers throughout the country.

A message sent to customers indicated that consultations are going on and that no additional booking is permitted past 31 December.

The message was to state that Zipcar is a group based in the US, but proposing to cancel the operations in the UK and began formal talks with the employees in the UK on the day of the message.

Zipcar has over 1000 electric vehicles in London and over 3000 overall in the UK, and 14,000 businesses are registered to use it. Subscribers with subscriptions that expire in the year 2012 will get refunded on a pro-rate. The company also added that they would be in contact with any clients who already had reservations made to go on into 2026.

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

“Although we propose to cease operations in the UK, your account will remain open until the final decision is made. This means you’re still able to use Zipcars until 31 December 2025. If you would like to see what other car-sharing options are in your area, please visit the national charity for shared transport, CoMoUK.”

The reason as to why the UK operations are about to get closer has not been given. The company has a new EV club pilot scheme in partnership with Hackney council, which was announced just a few months ago in May. Zipcar is also a US based company. More comments have been sought in the company.

It will be a defeat the car-sharing proponents who deemed car-sharing as a more environmentally friendly mode of personal transportation, and to certain car clubs who depended on Zipcar to share privately owned cars.

Janes Taylor, the general manager of Zipcar UK, sent a letter to customers: “We are proposing to cease the UK operations of Zipcar and have today started formal consultation with our UK employees.”

The closure of Zipcar in the UK will be in line with the congestion charge raise in London, and it’s adoption of electric cars, including those driven by members of a car club, beginning in January.