Zipcar

What Zipcar does

Zipcar, Inc., founded in 2000 by Robin Chase and Antje Danielson in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the largest car-sharing network in North America, operating hourly and daily on-demand vehicle rentals accessible via a mobile app (iOS and Android). The platform uses connected-vehicle telematics — on-board devices that monitor location, fuel/charge state, vehicle condition, and driver behavior — to enable remote lock/unlock, engine disable, and round-trip reservations from designated parking spots in neighborhoods, campuses, and airports. Identity verification at signup is performed through third-party facial recognition (Onfido). Zipcar serves three primary segments: individual urban consumers seeking an alternative to car ownership, university students and campuses via Zipcar for Universities, and corporate accounts via Zipcar for Business; an Uber Driver Program adds a ride-share income-generation use case.

Revenue is generated through a layered model: usage-based hourly and daily rates that include gas/charging, insurance, designated parking, and 200 km/day of mileage; recurring monthly ($9 in Canada) and annual ($90 in Canada) membership subscriptions; a non-refundable $25 application fee; and optional add-ons including Damage Fee Waivers and Supplemental Liability Insurance. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through zipcar.com and the mobile app, with dedicated sales channels for university and corporate accounts. Zipcar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avis Budget Group (NASDAQ: CAR) following a 2013 acquisition for $500 million; in late 2025 and early 2026, Zipcar exited the UK market, closed its Boston headquarters, and consolidated operations into Avis Budget Group's Parsippany, NJ offices as part of a broader parent restructuring.

Name

Zipcar

Legal name

Zipcar, Inc.

Website

https://zipcar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Zipcar operates the largest North American car-sharing network, offering hourly and daily on-demand vehicle rentals via a mobile app to urban consumers, university students, and corporate accounts across 500+ cities in the US and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Car Sharing Services

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 & Mobility Booking Platforms (Carshare/Rideshare/Micromobility) (THALAFAE)

Keywords

• Car sharing service
• Hourly car rental
• Vehicle sharing platform
• Corporate car sharing
• University car sharing

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Hourly/Daily Car Rentals: Members reserve cars by the hour or day. Rates vary by vehicle type, location, and membership plan. Gas, insurance (standard damage protection), and 200km per day are included. Mileage overage charged at $0.50 per km. Young driver fees (under 25) apply per reservation.
2. Monthly Membership Fees: $9/month (Canada) or equivalent monthly plan (US). Auto-renewed monthly via credit/debit card. Non-refundable. Provides access to member rates and reservation system.
3. Annual Membership Fees: $90/year (Canada) or equivalent annual plan. Refundable within 30 days of membership approval if cancelled. Provides access to member rates and reservation system.
4. Application Fee: One-time non-refundable $25 application fee charged when submitting a Zipcar membership application. Applied regardless of acceptance outcome.
5. Damage Fee Waivers (DFW): Optional add-on purchased per reservation, monthly, or annually to reduce or eliminate the Member's damage fee responsibility (up to $2,500 per incident in US). Cost varies by term, buy-down amount, location, and driving experience. Non-refundable.
6. Additional Liability Protection (US): Optional Supplemental Liability Insurance available for purchase for hourly or daily trips in the United States. Purchased at time of reservation via app or website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Zipcar operates a self-service car-sharing platform that allows members to reserve vehicles by the hour or day, unlock them via a mobile app, and return them to the same designated parking spot. The service includes gas, insurance, designated parking, and maintenance in the rate, and offers specialized programs for businesses (Zipcar for Business), universities (Zipcar for Universities), and Uber drivers.

Product overview

Zipcar is a car-sharing platform offering on-demand access to vehicles by the hour or day. The core product consists of a round-trip car sharing service where members book, unlock, and return vehicles to the same location. The platform includes specialized offerings for universities (Zipcar for Universities with student discounts) and businesses (Zipcar for Business with corporate rates), all accessible through a mobile app for iOS and Android. Optional add-on products include Damage Fee Waivers and Additional Liability Protection for enhanced coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zipcar for Business: Business car sharing with low weekday rates and dedicated support.
• Zipcar for Universities
• Students with Drive

Products and services

• Zipcar Core Service On-demand car sharing service offering hourly and daily vehicle rentals. Members book vehicles through a mobile app, unlock cars with their phone, and return vehicles to the same pickup location. Available in 500+ cities across North America.
• Zipcar for Universities Car sharing service tailored for college and university students, offering discounted rates for campus communities with vehicles located on or near campus.
• Zipcar for Business Corporate car sharing solution offering low weekday rates and dedicated support for business transportation needs, including fleet management and employee mobility.
• Damage Fee Waiver (DFW) Optional protection product that allows members to reduce or eliminate their financial responsibility for vehicle damage, available as annual, monthly, or per-reservation options.
• Additional Liability Protection Optional supplemental liability insurance available for purchase for hourly or daily trips in the United States, providing additional coverage beyond standard third-party liability.
• Uber Driver Program Dedicated program that provides Uber drivers access to Zipcar vehicles for ride-sharing income generation without the capital cost of owning a car.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1,000/month savings potential vs. car ownership (gas, maintenance, insurance, parking included)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 December 2025MassCEC, a Massachusetts state agency, partnered with SparkCharge and Zipcar to fund and support the first off-grid EV charging hub for shared mobility in East Boston. MassCEC's InnovateMass program provided funding for the project supporting equitable access to clean transportation in Environmental Justice communities.
• UberminorGTM or Marketing PartnerZipcar has a dedicated Uber Driver Program allowing Uber drivers to use Zipcar vehicles for ride-sharing earnings. The partnership enables drivers without personal vehicles to access the Uber platform through Zipcar fleet vehicles.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Zipcar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/zipcar
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZipcarUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zipcar
• Instagraminstagram.com/zipcar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zipcar