Zipcar To End UK Operations (bbc.co.uk)
(Monday December 01, 2025 @05:40PM (BeauHD)
from the end-of-an-era dept.)
- Reference: 0180253965
- News link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/12/01/2224216/zipcar-to-end-uk-operations
- Source link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8zv1gr0z9o
"The car-sharing company, first launched in the U.S. in 2000, has been active in the UK since 2010 and has just under half a million members," writes Slashdot reader [1]guesstral . "'I'm writing to let you know that we are [2]proposing to cease the UK operations of Zipcar ,' wrote Zipcar UK's general manager, James Taylor, in an email to members today. He went on to say that Zipcar will temporarily suspend new bookings after December 31, pending the outcome of a consultation with its 71 staff members." From the BBC:
> In its most recent company accounts for 2024, Zipcar blamed the "cost of living crisis," which was affecting UK customers, for revenues falling to 46 million pounds to 53 million the year before, while its after-tax losses had widened to 11.6 million pounds. According to the same accounts, Zipcar membership fees cover the cost of fuelling or charging the vehicle and, as energy costs continued to rise last year, it has added to financial pressures on the company. The company would also be liable for the incoming congestion charge in London that is expanding to include electric vehicles from 26 December, although this was not referenced in Zipcar's email to membership or company accounts.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~guesstral
[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8zv1gr0z9o
> In its most recent company accounts for 2024, Zipcar blamed the "cost of living crisis," which was affecting UK customers, for revenues falling to 46 million pounds to 53 million the year before, while its after-tax losses had widened to 11.6 million pounds. According to the same accounts, Zipcar membership fees cover the cost of fuelling or charging the vehicle and, as energy costs continued to rise last year, it has added to financial pressures on the company. The company would also be liable for the incoming congestion charge in London that is expanding to include electric vehicles from 26 December, although this was not referenced in Zipcar's email to membership or company accounts.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~guesstral
[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8zv1gr0z9o
If _sharing_ cars is so expensive... (Score:2)
by ffkom ( 3519199 )
... that it "falls victim to a cost of living crisis", then maybe something was severely wrong with the business model to begin with. Sharing cars should be substantially cheaper than "owning one's own" - if it is not, then why would anyone want to "share" it with strangers?
Perhaps they should have tried advertising. (Score:2)
Because I've never heard of Zipcar or what they do.
Re: (Score:2)
It's a pity; I loved Zipcar when I lived in Boston a decade or two back. I could live without a car for weeks, but if I wanted one for an hour or an afternoon, two clicks on the app and I got one.
Moved away, though, and haven't used them since.