Caruso Carsharing
Caruso Carsharing is an Austrian cooperative operating a station-based electric carsharing network of 80+ vehicles across 60+ locations in Vorarlberg, Tirol, Salzburg, and Oberösterreich, serving private individuals, businesses, and municipalities through app-based booking and cooperative ownership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersDornbirn, Austria
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Caruso Carsharing does
Caruso Carsharing (CARUSO Carsharing eGen) is an Austrian cooperative founded in 2015 and headquartered in Dornbirn, Vorarlberg. It operates a station-based electric carsharing network of more than 80 fully electric vehicles across 60+ fixed locations in four Austrian states — Vorarlberg, Tirol, Salzburg, and Oberösterreich. Users register, reserve, and unlock vehicles via the caruso mobile app (iOS/Android) or web portal backed by a third-party booking platform operated by Zemtu OG; payments are processed through Stripe and charging infrastructure is sourced via VKW.
The company serves three customer segments: private individuals (primary, replacing private or second-car ownership), businesses (caruso für Business fleet subscriptions with pooled employee accounts), and municipalities or partner operators (caruso für Sharing Betreiber, enabling partners to run locations under the caruso brand). Revenue is generated through a hybrid pricing model combining hourly and per-kilometer usage fees, monthly membership tariffs (three private tiers plus business plans), reservation fees on the Flex tariff, one-time registration fees, and dedicated business fleet subscriptions. Additional products include the Klimaticket integration module (combining caruso with public transport annual passes) and an optional Vollkasko PLUS insurance add-on.
Distribution combines self-service app-based booking for consumers with direct sales for business customers and partnership-driven station deployment with municipalities, banks (Sparkasse Dornbirn, Raiffeisen Landesbank Vorarlberg), automotive retail (Lucky Car), and developers (Continuum Holding). Caruso is a privately held cooperative with no disclosed institutional investment, no revenue disclosure, and a small management team led by CEO Niko Fischer. Recent activity centers on geographic expansion beyond the Vorarlberg stronghold, frequent electric vehicle model additions (Renault 5 E-Tech, BMW iX1, MINI Aceman SE, Peugeot E-Partner), and ecosystem partnerships with VMOBIL and Verkehrsverbund Vorarlberg.
Caruso Carsharing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Caruso Carsharing
- Legal name
- CARUSO Carsharing eGen
- Website
- https://carusocarsharing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Caruso Carsharing is an Austrian cooperative operating a station-based electric carsharing network of 80+ vehicles across 60+ locations in Vorarlberg, Tirol, Salzburg, and Oberösterreich, serving private individuals, businesses, and municipalities through app-based booking and cooperative ownership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Caruso Carsharing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electric Carsharing
- NAICS
- Passenger Car Rental (532111), Passenger Car Rental and Leasing (53211)
- SIC
- Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Round-Trip Carsharing (Station-Based) (TLAFAMAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Corporate Car Sharing (Round-Trip/Station-Based) (TLABALAA), Corporate/University/Fleet-Based Carsharing (TLAFAMAD)
Keywords
Where Caruso Carsharing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dornbirn
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Caruso Carsharing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Usage-based rental fees: Revenue generated from hourly rates and per-kilometer charges for vehicle usage. Customers pay based on actual usage time and distance traveled.
- Monthly membership fees: Recurring monthly fees from membership packages (tariff plans) that provide access to the vehicle fleet. Multiple tariff tiers available for different customer needs.
- Business fleet solutions: Corporate customers can access fleet solutions with dedicated arrangements for employee mobility needs.
- Registration fees: One-time registration fees for new customer accounts.
- Reservation fees (Flex tariff): Additional reservation fees for customers on Flex tariff plans, charged per reservation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | Monthly | Three tariff plans for private users with varying hourly rates, kilometer rates, and monthly fees |
| Subscription | Monthly | Business customer tariffs with pool user arrangements |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Caruso Carsharing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Caruso Carsharing operates a station-based, all-electric carsharing service across Austria, allowing registered members to reserve, unlock, and drive electric vehicles from fixed locations in Vorarlberg, Tirol, Salzburg, and Oberösterreich via a smartphone app. The cooperative combines private consumer, corporate fleet, and partner (sharing operator) product lines, charging usage-based fees plus monthly or annual memberships.
Product overview
Caruso Carsharing operates a stationsbasiertes (station-based) electric car sharing network across Austria, functioning as both a direct vehicle provider and a broker/mediator for partner vehicles. The core offering consists of the caruso App combined with the Private & Business Carsharing service, where users register, book, and access 100% electric vehicles (Renault ZOE, BMW i3, MINI Aceman SE, BMW iX1, Renault 5 E-Tech, Peugeot E-Partner) at fixed stations. The company offers three private tariffs and business-specific plans. Additional products include the Klimaticket Integration module (allowing VMOBIL/Klimaticket Österreich subscribers to add caruso to their pass), the Vollkasko PLUS insurance add-on, caruso für Business (fleet solutions for companies), and caruso für Sharing Betreiber (enabling municipalities and partners to operate car sharing locations under the caruso platform). Bookings are managed through the Zemtu OG booking system with Stripe payment processing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- caruso für Privat (Private Carsharing)
Quantifiable outcome
- One caruso vehicle replaces 13 private vehicles on average
Companies that use Caruso Carsharing
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Caruso Carsharing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Caruso Carsharing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Lucky CarcoreLucky Car partnered with caruso for sustainable mobility solutions. Vehicles available at Lucky Car locations in Dornbirn and Feldkirch, expanding the carsharing network while providing Lucky Car customers with access to caruso fleet.
- VMOBILcorecaruso is a mobility partner of VMOBIL, enabling customers to combine carsharing with public transport (train, bus, bike) as part of an integrated mobility ecosystem. Klimaticket holders can add caruso module to their existing annual pass.
- Verkehrsverbund VorarlbergcorePartnership with the Vorarlberg Transport Association to integrate carsharing into the broader public mobility network. CEO Christian Hillbrand supports caruso's expansion as a key component of sustainable regional mobility.
- VKW (Vorarlberger Kraftwerke)coreVKW provides charging infrastructure for the electric vehicle fleet. caruso vehicles use VKW charging cards and partner charging stations. Tesla vehicles have exception for Supercharger access.
- Raiffeisen Landesbank VorarlbergminorBanking partner hosting a caruso station at their Bregenz headquarters (Rheinstraße 11), providing convenient access for customers in the city center area.
- Sparkasse Dornbirn AGminorDornbirn savings bank hosts caruso vehicles at their premises, offering sustainable mobility options for both employees and customers visiting the bank.
- Continuum Holding GmbHminorPartnership with Continuum Holding to establish a second caruso location in Lauterach at the residential development area.
- Verein pureminorCollaboration with the pure association focused on sustainable living. caruso appeared on their podcast to discuss carsharing, e-vehicles, and mobility behavior in Vorarlberg.
- Zemtu OGcoreTechnology partner providing the booking and billing system platform. Zemtu operates the mcaruso.zemtu.com registration and booking infrastructure.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Caruso Carsharing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Zipcar: Global station-based carsharing operator (owned by Avis Budget Group). Comparable core product (station-based carsharing with app booking) but operates at significantly larger scale and in different geographies.
- Share Now / Miles Mobility: Major European free-floating and station-based carsharing operator (Share Now merged into Miles). Comparable customer use case (urban carsharing) but operates at much larger scale and is free-floating, not station-based like Caruso.
- Flinkster (Deutsche Bahn Connect): Station-based carsharing operated by Deutsche Bahn across Germany. Comparable on station-based model and integration with public transport, but with national scale and rail-network backing that Caruso lacks.
Direct peers
- Stadtmobil: German cooperative carsharing network with station-based vehicles across many cities. Comparable to Caruso on cooperative model, station-based carsharing, and municipal / partnership-driven expansion.
- Book-n-Drive: German station-based carsharing cooperative with regional networks. Comparable to Caruso on station-based, cooperative-style operations and partnership-driven expansion.
- Cambio Mobilitätsservice: German carsharing cooperative running station-based vehicle sharing across multiple cities. Most directly comparable to Caruso on cooperative ownership structure, station-based model, and private + business customer segments.
- Mobility Genossenschaft: Swiss cooperative carsharing operator with a station-based network. Comparable to Caruso on cooperative structure, station-based operations, and DACH regional focus, though it serves Switzerland rather than Austria.
Regional players
- Greenwheels: Dutch carsharing operator with station-based and business fleet offerings. Comparable business model and B2B fleet focus, but primarily serves the Netherlands rather than Austria.
Emerging players
- MOQO (carjump): European B2B carsharing platform that powers municipal and corporate carsharing programs. Closely comparable to Caruso's 'Sharing Betreiber' offering, though MOQO is software-only rather than also operating its own fleet.
Others
- Verkehrsverbund Vorarlberg (mobility partners): Regional public transport authority that already partners with Caruso. Included as an ecosystem participant illustrating how transit authorities structure multi-modal partnerships that Caruso replicates in other provinces.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Caruso Carsharing social profiles
Digital presenceCaruso Carsharing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Caruso Carsharing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Caruso Carsharing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Caruso Carsharing 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 Caruso Carsharing
What does Caruso Carsharing do?
Caruso Carsharing operates a station-based, all-electric carsharing service across Austria, allowing registered members to reserve, unlock, and drive electric vehicles from fixed locations in Vorarlberg, Tirol, Salzburg, and Oberösterreich via a smartphone app. The cooperative combines private consumer, corporate fleet, and partner (sharing operator) product lines, charging usage-based fees plus monthly or annual memberships.
Is Caruso Carsharing a public or private company?
Caruso Carsharing is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Caruso Carsharing founded?
Caruso Carsharing was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Caruso Carsharing based?
Caruso Carsharing is headquartered in Dornbirn, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does Caruso Carsharing make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Usage-based rental fees are the primary driver. The others are monthly membership fees, business fleet solutions, registration fees and reservation fees (Flex tariff).
Who are Caruso Carsharing's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Zipcar, Share Now / Miles Mobility and Flinkster (Deutsche Bahn Connect). Direct peers are Stadtmobil, Book-n-Drive, Cambio Mobilitätsservice and Mobility Genossenschaft. Greenwheels is listed as a regional player. MOQO (carjump) is listed as an emerging player. Verkehrsverbund Vorarlberg (mobility partners) is listed as an others.
Does Caruso Carsharing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Caruso Carsharing.
What industry is Caruso Carsharing in?
Caruso Carsharing's product category is Electric Carsharing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAFAMAA, Round-Trip Carsharing (Station-Based), with a secondary code of TLABALAA, Corporate Car Sharing (Round-Trip/Station-Based). Its NAICS code is 532111 and its SIC code is 7510.