Hiyacar
Hiyacar is a UK peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace that connects private car owners with verified drivers across London, Bristol and Edinburgh via a mobile-first platform, monetising through booking commissions, bundled insurance and QuickStart keyless technology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Hiyacar does
Hiyacar is a UK-based peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace founded in 2015 and headquartered in London, operating under the legal entity HIYACAR NEWCO LTD. The platform connects private car owners with verified drivers seeking short-term vehicle access, operating primarily in London, Bristol, Edinburgh and surrounding boroughs (Hackney, Dalston, Walthamstow, Clapham, Islington, Greenwich, Tower Hamlets and others). The service is delivered through a self-serve website and native iOS and Android applications, with a 90-second sign-up flow using driving licence scan and selfie verification, supplemented by a 9-layer verification system that includes address, credit, licence and personal insurance claim checks.
The core product is the Hiyacar Platform, layered with proprietary technology including QuickStart keyless access (remote unlocking, GPS tracking, immobiliser control, telematics), facial recognition verification, and a telematics layer capturing driving behaviour, mileage, fuel level and crash analytics. The product suite is extended by Hiyacar for Business (enterprise accounts with bespoke markets and monthly invoicing), Hiyacar Car Club (fleet partner listings in Zone 1-3 London boroughs), Lease to Share (monthly vehicle subscription that lets subscribers list their car on the marketplace), Mates Rates (owner-set family/friend discounts), and Driver Subscriptions (Regular, Subscriber, Guardian tiers with 30-45-60 day booking windows). Insurance is bundled into every booking via Questor Insurance, with cover arranged through AON and underwritten by ERS (Syndicate 218 at Lloyd's) up to £20M third-party liability.
Hiyacar's revenue model is a marketplace take rate: 40% commission on bookings is reduced to 30% for owners who purchase AA breakdown cover through the platform, with the inverse change applied to owner share (60% standard, 70% with AA cover). Additional revenue streams include a non-refundable £9.49 driver application fee (credited toward first booking), insurance commission from Questor, £12-15 per day Premium Cover (excess waiver) reducing excess by 90%, usage-based mileage charges (£0.30/mile for cars, £0.35/mile for vans), and admin fees for damages, PCNs, cleaning and late returns. Across 11-50 employees, Hiyacar reports a 60% repeat customer rate and is positioning to expand in London following Zipcar's UK exit.
Hiyacar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hiyacar
- Legal name
- HIYACAR NEWCO LTD
- Website
- https://hiyacar.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hiyacar is a UK peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace that connects private car owners with verified drivers across London, Bristol and Edinburgh via a mobile-first platform, monetising through booking commissions, bundled insurance and QuickStart keyless technology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hiyacar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Marketplace
- NAICS
- Passenger Car Rental (532111), Passenger Car Rental and Leasing (53211)
- SIC
- Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Car Rental & Car-Sharing Booking Platforms (BPAMAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Round-Trip Carsharing (Station-Based) (TLAFAMAA), Peer-to-Peer Ridesourcing (Private Car Marketplace) (THAIAGAH)
Keywords
Where Hiyacar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hiyacar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Commission from Peer-to-Peer Bookings: Hiyacar charges commission on peer-to-peer car sharing rentals. Standard commission is 40% of the rental fee, reduced to 30% if the owner purchases AA breakdown cover through Hiyacar. Owners without breakdown cover receive 60% of rental revenue instead of 70%.
- Insurance Products: Insurance is included on every booking with pricing varying based on driver age, driving history, and vehicle type. Hiyacar earns commission from the insurer (Questor Insurance) for arranging coverage through Riverside Underwriting Limited. Insurance covers accidents, theft, fire, third-party property damage up to £20 million.
- Car Club Booking Fees: For car club vehicles (fleet partners), VAT is charged on the rental fee and booking fee. No VAT is charged on peer-to-peer bookings as Hiyacar declares this via the Tour Operators Margin Scheme.
- Driver Application Fee: One-time application fee of £9.49 charged to drivers during sign-up to cover automated and manual verification checks. The fee is credited to the driver's account for use on their first booking.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Peer-to-Peer Owner Commission (with AA Breakdown) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Peer-to-Peer Owner Commission (without AA Breakdown) |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Additional Mileage Charges |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Admin Fees |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Driver Application Fee |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Cover (Excess Waiver) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Hiyacar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hiyacar operates a peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace in the UK that connects private car owners with verified drivers for short-term vehicle rentals. Each booking includes integrated insurance coverage, identity verification, and (for equipped vehicles) keyless access via the proprietary QuickStart device. The platform monetises through marketplace commissions on rentals, insurance commissions, booking fees, and a one-time driver application fee.
Product overview
Hiyacar is a peer-to-peer car sharing platform operating in the UK that connects car owners with drivers seeking temporary vehicle access. The core offering consists of the Hiyacar Platform for marketplace transactions, complemented by the QuickStart® keyless technology add-on for remote access and the Hiyacar Car Club for fleet-based sharing. The ecosystem includes specialized modules for business accounts (Hiyacar for Business), driver subscription tiers with varying booking windows, the Mates Rates discount program, and the Lease to Share subscription option. The service is delivered through both iOS/Android mobile apps and a web platform, with all bookings including integrated insurance coverage provided through their insurance partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- QuickStart®: Keyless technology enabling remote car access, GPS tracking, and virtual key sharing for car sharing.
- Mates Rates
- Lease to Share
Products and services
- Hiyacar Platform Core peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace that connects private UK car owners with verified drivers for hourly to 10-day rentals. Provides online booking, integrated insurance on every booking, identity verification, and fee collection on behalf of owners.
- QuickStart® Proprietary keyless hardware and software add-on for car owners, enabling drivers to locate, unlock, and start the vehicle via the Hiyacar mobile app without meeting the owner. Includes GPS tracking, remote unlocking, immobiliser control, telematics, and facial recognition verification. QuickStart-equipped vehicles receive higher search rankings and more bookings.
- Hiyacar Car Club
Quantifiable outcome
- 60% repeat customer rate
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Hiyacar
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Hiyacar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature5 records
Hiyacar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AAcoreAA Breakdown & Recovery policy offered to owners as a recommended add-on. Owners who purchase AA breakdown cover receive reduced commission rate (30% instead of 40%) and 70% rental revenue (instead of 60%).
- StripecorePayment processing services provided by Stripe, subject to the Stripe Connected Account Agreement. All owner payouts and driver charges are processed through Stripe's payment gateway. Payments to owners are processed automatically 24 hours after booking completion.
- ERS (Syndicate 218 at Lloyd's)coreInsurance underwriter providing coverage for peer-to-peer car sharing bookings. Covers accidents, theft, fire, and third-party property damage up to £20 million. Vehicles valued up to £60,000 covered; higher values accepted with agreement from insurers.
- Riverside Underwriting LimitedcoreInsurance intermediary acting on behalf of the insurer for Damage Cover (Car Sharing Excess Waiver) product. Partners with Hiyacar and Questor Insurance to bring excess waiver coverage to members.
- AON UK LimitedcoreInsurance broker managing the insurance programme for Hiyacar's car sharing platform, working with ERS (Syndicate 218 at Lloyd's).
- Questor InsuranceminorInsurance partner earning commission from insurance products sold through the platform. Hiyacar and Questor Insurance earn commission payable by the insurer for excess waiver products.
- YourParkingSpaceminorParking provider through which Hiyacar rents parking spaces for car club vehicles. Contact for parking issues: [email protected].
- JustParkminorParking provider through which Hiyacar rents parking spaces for car club vehicles.
- FlexxileaseminorLeasing company from which Hiyacar leases car club vehicles.
- Alliance Asset ManagementminorLeasing company from which Hiyacar leases car club vehicles.
- East Ayrshire CouncilcoreCommunity partnership to operate an electric car hire club serving the East Ayrshire region. Includes incentive system (free 2hr drive after 10th booking) and 24hr customer support. Insurance and RAC breakdown cover included with all vehicles.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hiyacar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Enterprise Car Club: UK arm of Enterprise Mobility's car-sharing service, operating in London and other UK cities. Fleet-based (not peer-to-peer) car club model with strong corporate account presence — comparable on UK geographic overlap and enterprise GTM.
- Uber Carshare (formerly Car Next Door): Uber-owned Australian-origin P2P car sharing platform that has been quietly expanding. Backed by Uber's broader mobility ecosystem, it has materially more capital and brand reach than Hiyacar and competes in overlapping markets.
- Free2Move: Stellantis-owned multi-modal mobility platform aggregating car sharing, rental, and ride-hailing across Europe. Operates car-sharing services in several European cities; less specialised than Hiyacar but represents a potential entrant or partner.
- Zipcar (UK exit): Traditional car-sharing incumbent that recently announced UK exit. Previously a major competitor in London and other UK cities; its departure creates both market opportunity and signal that UK car-sharing unit economics are challenging.
Direct peers
- Co-wheels: UK-based community-interest car club operator with fleet and peer-to-peer offerings across multiple UK cities. Directly overlaps with Hiyacar's UK footprint and shares a community-led, sustainability-oriented value proposition.
- Turo: Largest global peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace. Directly comparable to Hiyacar in core model (private car owners renting to drivers via marketplace) with insurance bundle and mobile-first booking. Operates in US, Canada, Australia, France, and UK — the most direct strategic threat and most relevant exit-comparable.
- Getaround: European-origin peer-to-peer car sharing platform (formerly Drivy, acquired by Getaround). Most direct comparable on technology, with keyless Connect™ hardware that parallels Hiyacar's QuickStart. Competes in France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, UK, and US.
- SnappCar: European peer-to-peer car sharing platform operating in Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and UK. Direct competitor with similar owner-driver marketplace model, insurance bundling, and community-led growth approach.
Emerging players
- HyreCar: US-based peer-to-peer car sharing platform focused specifically on rideshare and delivery drivers (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash). Different segment focus but identical peer-to-peer marketplace model with insurance bundle and verification systems.
Others
- Octopus Electric Vehicles: UK-based electric vehicle leasing and subscription specialist. Comparable on the Lease to Share subscription model and EV focus, though not a direct marketplace competitor. Adjacent ecosystem participant relevant for partnership or supply-side synergies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Hiyacar social profiles
Digital presenceHiyacar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hiyacar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Hiyacar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds12 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hiyacar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hiyacar
What does Hiyacar do?
Hiyacar operates a peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace in the UK that connects private car owners with verified drivers for short-term vehicle rentals. Each booking includes integrated insurance coverage, identity verification, and (for equipped vehicles) keyless access via the proprietary QuickStart device. The platform monetises through marketplace commissions on rentals, insurance commissions, booking fees, and a one-time driver application fee.
Is Hiyacar a public or private company?
Hiyacar is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Hiyacar founded?
Hiyacar was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hiyacar based?
Hiyacar is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Hiyacar make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Commission from Peer-to-Peer Bookings are the primary driver. The others are insurance Products, car Club Booking Fees and driver Application Fee.
Who are Hiyacar's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Enterprise Car Club, Uber Carshare (formerly Car Next Door), Free2Move and Zipcar (UK exit). Direct peers are Co-wheels, Turo, Getaround and SnappCar. HyreCar is listed as an emerging player. Octopus Electric Vehicles is listed as an others.
Does Hiyacar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hiyacar.
What industry is Hiyacar in?
Hiyacar's product category is Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAIAF, Car Rental & Car-Sharing Booking Platforms, with a secondary code of TLAFAMAA, Round-Trip Carsharing (Station-Based). Its NAICS code is 532111 and its SIC code is 7510.