Popcar Car Sharing
Popcar Car Sharing is an Australian point-to-point car-sharing service operating in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Byron Bay, offering urban consumers, renters, and students app-based, hourly or daily access to a Toyota fleet with no deposit, fuel, and parking included.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersCanberra, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Popcar Car Sharing does
Popcar Car Sharing, operated by Intermotive Solutions Pty Ltd (ABN 43 602 154 763), is a privately held Australian point-to-point car-sharing service that launched in 2016 and operates across four cities — Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Byron Bay. The platform lets consumers locate, book, and unlock vehicles by the hour or day through an iOS/Android mobile app using Bluetooth connectivity, returning cars to dedicated parking bays. The fleet is deliberately concentrated on Toyota models (Corolla, Corolla Hybrid, RAV4, Hiace), supporting operational simplicity and predictable maintenance economics.
The underlying technology stack combines a self-serve mobile application, Bluetooth-based vehicle access, and a telemetry layer that collects location, time, date, and driving-behaviour data for monitoring and insurance purposes. Payments are routed through Checkout, removing card-data custody from Popcar's systems, and the business is positioned under the Australian Privacy Principles compliance regime. A recent app upgrade signals continued platform investment.
Popcar monetises through a two-tier pricing structure: a free Casual plan with pay-as-you-go hourly/daily rates and a $20/month Member plan offering up to 30% per-drive savings, reduced Collision Damage Waiver costs, and a typical member savings of about $140/month. All rates bundle fuel, insurance, and dedicated parking bay access. Mileage beyond included daily kilometres is billed at $0.48/km. Distribution is fully self-serve and product-led: app-store downloads, app-based booking, referral codes, and content/blog channels drive acquisition, targeting urban residents, apartment renters, young professionals, and one-car households for whom ownership economics are unfavourable. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding and operates with a small team of 11-50 employees.
Popcar Car Sharing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Popcar Car Sharing
- Legal name
- Intermotive Solutions Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://popcar.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Popcar Car Sharing is an Australian point-to-point car-sharing service operating in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Byron Bay, offering urban consumers, renters, and students app-based, hourly or daily access to a Toyota fleet with no deposit, fuel, and parking included.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Popcar Car Sharing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Car Sharing Services
- NAICS
- Passenger Car Rental (532111), Passenger Car Rental and Leasing (53211), Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing (5321)
- SIC
- Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Round-Trip Carsharing (Station-Based) (TLAFAMAA)
Keywords
Where Popcar Car Sharing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Canberra
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices4 records
Markets served
Popcar Car Sharing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel
Revenue model
- Hourly and daily vehicle rental: Primary revenue from time-based rental charges (hourly or daily rates) plus mileage charges. Two plans: Casual (pay-as-you-go, higher rates) and Member ($20/month subscription, lower rates).
- Usage-based mileage charges: Charge of $0.48 per km for distance driven beyond included daily kilometres. Revenue scales with usage intensity.
- Membership subscription: $20/month membership fee offering lowest rates, CDW reduction, and exclusive discounts. Auto-renews monthly.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Member Plan - $20/month with lowest rates |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Casual Plan - Free to join, pay-as-you-go |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Popcar Car Sharing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Popcar operates an app-based car sharing service that lets users book Toyota vehicles (Corolla, Corolla Hybrid, RAV4, Hiace) by the hour or day from dedicated parking bays in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Byron Bay. Vehicles are unlocked via the Popcar mobile app using Bluetooth, with fuel, insurance, and parking included in the rental rate. The service is offered under two plans: a free Casual Plan with pay-as-you-go rates and a $20/month Member Plan providing up to 30% savings on every drive.
Product overview
Popcar is a car sharing platform operated by Intermotive Solutions Pty Ltd (ABN 43 602 154 763) offering point-to-point car sharing by the hour or day with no deposit required. The service provides a fleet of Toyota vehicles including Corolla, Corolla Hybrid, RAV4, and Hiace models. Two membership tiers are offered: a free Casual Plan with pay-as-you-go pricing, and a $20/month Member Plan providing up to 30% savings on all drives. The mobile app enables vehicle location, booking, Bluetooth unlock, and trip management. Fuel, insurance, and dedicated parking bay are included in rates.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Popcar Car Sharing Service A car sharing service allowing users to locate, book, and unlock Toyota vehicles by the hour or day via a mobile app, with no deposit required and dedicated parking bays for vehicle return. Targets urban residents in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Byron Bay who need flexible vehicle access without ownership.
- Member Plan
Quantifiable outcome
- Members typically save $140/month compared to non-members
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Popcar Car Sharing
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Popcar Car Sharing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Popcar Car Sharing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CheckoutcoreCheckout is the payment processing provider for Popcar's transactions. Credit and debit card details are not retained by Popcar; payments are processed securely via Checkout. This is a critical infrastructure partnership for handling customer payments.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Popcar Car Sharing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Zipcar: Global car sharing leader owned by Avis Budget Group. Operates round-trip and one-way models in major cities; a benchmark competitor on technology, scale, and pricing mechanics even where it does not directly operate in Popcar's Australian cities.
- Uber: Global rideshare and mobility platform. Competes for the same urban mobility wallet share and increasingly bundles carshare via Uber Carshare, pressuring independent operators on customer acquisition.
- Share Now (formerly DriveNow / car2go): Free-floating car sharing service (BMW/Daimler legacy). Not in Australia, but represents the global free-floating model that pressures station-based operators like Popcar on flexibility and urban convenience.
- Hertz: Global traditional car rental incumbent. While Popcar targets different trip patterns (hourly vs daily+), Hertz competes for casual urban rentals and has begun offering subscription and carshare-like products.
Regional players
- Sixt: European-headquartered car rental and mobility provider with growing subscription and carsharing offerings. Comparable on multi-tier pricing and consumer-targeted service design, though primarily competing in Europe rather than Australia.
Direct peers
- Flexicar: Australian car sharing service operating a bay-based, round-trip model in major Australian cities. Highly comparable in product mechanics and customer segment to Popcar, and a direct in-country competitor.
- Uber Carshare (formerly Car Next Door): Peer-to-peer and car sharing platform operating across Australia after Uber's acquisition of Car Next Door. Competes for the same urban consumer use cases, with the backing of a global mobility platform.
- GoGet: Australia's most established car sharing operator, offering station-based, round-trip car sharing in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and other cities. Directly comparable in geography, model (round-trip, bay-based), and target urban consumer to Popcar.
Emerging players
- HelloCars (formerly Skurt): Subscription-style car access services targeting urban consumers without ownership. Conceptually adjacent to Popcar's mission of replacing private car ownership with on-demand access.
- Turo: Global peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace. Operates with overlapping customer use cases (occasional urban car access) though currently has limited Australian footprint; a credible competitor as it expands locally.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Popcar Car Sharing social profiles
Digital presencePopcar Car Sharing compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Popcar Car Sharing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Popcar Car Sharing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Popcar Car Sharing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Popcar Car Sharing 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 Popcar Car Sharing
What does Popcar Car Sharing do?
Popcar operates an app-based car sharing service that lets users book Toyota vehicles (Corolla, Corolla Hybrid, RAV4, Hiace) by the hour or day from dedicated parking bays in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Byron Bay. Vehicles are unlocked via the Popcar mobile app using Bluetooth, with fuel, insurance, and parking included in the rental rate. The service is offered under two plans: a free Casual Plan with pay-as-you-go rates and a $20/month Member Plan providing up to 30% savings on every drive.
Is Popcar Car Sharing a public or private company?
Popcar Car Sharing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Popcar Car Sharing founded?
Popcar Car Sharing was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Popcar Car Sharing based?
Popcar Car Sharing is headquartered in Canberra, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Popcar Car Sharing make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hourly and daily vehicle rental is the primary driver. The others are usage-based mileage charges and membership subscription.
Who are Popcar Car Sharing's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Zipcar, Uber, Share Now (formerly DriveNow / car2go) and Hertz. Sixt is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Flexicar, Uber Carshare (formerly Car Next Door) and GoGet. Emerging players are HelloCars (formerly Skurt) and Turo.
Does Popcar Car Sharing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Popcar Car Sharing.
What industry is Popcar Car Sharing in?
Popcar Car Sharing's product category is Car Sharing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAFAMAA, Round-Trip Carsharing (Station-Based). Its NAICS code is 532111 and its SIC code is 7510.