Go Car Rental Iceland

What Go Car Rental Iceland does

Go Car Rental Iceland is a locally owned Icelandic car rental company, founded in 2011 by Jón Óli and Steinarr Lár and operating under the legal entity Bílaleigan Go ehf. The company serves international leisure travelers visiting Iceland with self-drive vehicle rentals, operating a fleet of more than 900 vehicles across four categories (Small, Midsize/Family, 4x4 SUV, and 7–9 Seater Minivans) starting from $44 per day, with prices varying sharply by season and length of rental.

Its core technology is a proprietary web-based reservation platform supporting real-time availability search, online booking management, self-service KeyBox 24/7 key pickup and drop-off, a live shuttle tracker between Keflavík International Airport and the depot, and a GPS vehicle tracking system that captures position, speed, acceleration, and impact data for theft prevention, off-road detection, and insurance claim management. A color-coded CO2 emission display per vehicle is layered on top of the booking flow as part of the company's Green Mission, which targets a fully electric fleet by 2030 in partnership with the Kolviður Icelandic Carbon Fund.

The business model is direct-to-consumer transactional: revenue is generated from base vehicle rental fees, tiered insurance add-ons (Silver, Gold, Platinum), optional equipment (4G WiFi, GPS, child seats, camping gear), prepaid fuel, mandatory road tax remittance, and processing/service fees. Distribution is split across the direct website (gocarrental.is), travel marketplaces (Guide to Iceland, Northbound), and an affiliate program offering 5% commission. The company also operates a sister brand, Go Campers, for campervan rentals, and maintains two physical locations: a flagship depot at Fuglavík 43 in Reykjanesbær near Keflavík Airport and a downtown Reykjavik office at Skógarhlíð 16.

Name

Go Car Rental Iceland

Legal name

Bílaleigan Go ehf.

Website

https://gocarrental.is

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Go Car Rental Iceland is a locally owned Icelandic car rental company operating a 900+ vehicle self-drive fleet for international leisure travelers, with airport-area and Reykjavik depots, tiered insurance, and equipment add-ons distributed via direct website and travel marketplaces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Car Rental 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

Self-Drive Car Rental (THADAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Airport Car Rental (On-Airport Concessions) (THADAAAA), Specialty Vehicle Rentals (SUVs, Convertibles, 4x4) (THADAAAH), Ancillary Services & Add-Ons (GPS, Child Seats, Tolling, Fuel Plans, Roadside) (THADAAAL)

Keywords

• Car rental services
• Vehicle rental
• Travel insurance
• Airport shuttle service
• Rental fleet management

Headquarters

HQ city

Reykjanesbær

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Rental Fees: Core revenue from self-drive car rentals. Customers pay daily or weekly rates for vehicles across categories (small, family, SUV/4x4, minivan). Pricing varies by season with peak summer rates significantly higher than winter. All rentals include unlimited mileage and comprehensive insurance coverage.
2. Insurance Add-ons: Additional insurance products including Super Collision Damage Waiver (SCDW), Sand & Ash Damage Protection (SAAP), Gravel Protection (GP), Theft Protection (TP), and Zero Excess Cover (ZERO). Also offers Silver, Gold, and Platinum insurance bundles with varying coverage levels and deductibles.
3. Equipment and Accessory Rentals: Optional extras including 4G WiFi hotspots, GPS navigation units, child safety seats, USB chargers, power inverters, camping gear (chairs, tables, coolers, thermoses), and CO2 offset add-on through Kolviður Icelandic Carbon Fund.
4. Prepaid Fuel Option: Customers can prepay for fuel at pickup and return the car with an almost empty tank, providing price certainty.
5. Processing and Service Fees: Fees for late cancellations (€10 for cancellations within 10 days), missing fuel (cost plus €30 fee), missing/damaged items (tires, electricals, camping equipment per price list), and parking/toll processing (€10 per case, max €50).
6. Mandatory Road Tax: Mandatory road tax of €10.50 per rental day, collected from all customers and remitted to authorities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Go Car Rental Iceland provides self-drive car rentals across four vehicle categories (small cars, midsize/family cars, 4x4 SUVs, and 7-9 seat minivans) through a fleet of more than 900 vehicles. All rentals include unlimited mileage, comprehensive insurance coverage, 24/7 roadside assistance, and free Keflavík Airport shuttle pickup/drop-off. The offering is supported by optional equipment add-ons (4G WiFi, GPS, child seats, camping gear), tiered insurance plans, CO2 offsetting through Kolviður Icelandic Carbon Fund, and 24/7 KeyBox self-service vehicle pickup.

Product overview

Go Car Rental Iceland is a locally owned self-drive car rental company offering a fleet of over 900 vehicles through a unified booking platform. The core product portfolio consists of four vehicle categories (Small Cars, Midsize/Family Cars, 4x4 SUVs, and 7-9 Seater Minivans) with tiered insurance plans (Silver, Gold, Platinum) as add-on modules. The company also offers optional extras including 4G WiFi, GPS navigation, child safety seats, camping equipment, and CO2 offsetting. A sister brand, Go Campers, provides campervan rentals for combined transport and accommodation needs. Additional services include airport shuttle, self-service key pickup, and an affiliate partner program. The company emphasizes an all-inclusive rental model with unlimited mileage, comprehensive insurance, and 24/7 roadside assistance included in base pricing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Small Cars Economy vehicles suitable for 1-2 passengers traveling on Iceland's main paved roads, starting from $44 per day. Targeted at solo travelers and couples on shorter trips.
• Midsize & Family Cars
• 4x4 SUV Cars
• 7 to 9 Seater Minivans
• 4G WiFi Hotspot Rental
• GPS Navigation Unit Rental
• Child Safety Seat Rental
• Camping Equipment Rental
• CO2 Offset Add-on
• Go Campers (Campervan Rental)

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000+ travelers served since 2011
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Go CamperscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSibling/partner brand for campervan rentals. Linked directly from car selection pages, allowing travelers wanting van-style vehicles with sleeping facilities to seamlessly transition to the camper brand. Distinct operation with its own website (gocampers.is) but coordinated within the same Go Rentals ecosystem.
• All Things Iceland (Jewells Chambers)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand ambassador partnership with Jewells Chambers, founder of All Things Iceland travel platform. Provides travel information and inspiration for Iceland travel through website and social media. Has been recommending Go Car Rental since 2022.
• Jón from IcelandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand ambassador - professional photographer showcasing Iceland's culture, history, and natural splendor through social media content featuring Go Car Rental destinations.
• Garðar ÓlafssonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand ambassador - Icelandic professional photographer capturing Iceland's landscapes with attention to small details, producing content for the company's marketing.
• Kolviður (Icelandic Carbon Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership enabling customers to offset carbon emissions from their rental journeys through tree planting and afforestation projects. Funds contribute to long-term (up to 90-year) agreements with Icelandic forestry associations. Project certified and audited by KPMG Iceland.
• Vörður InsurancecoreTechnology or IntegrationInsurance provider for all rental insurance products (CDW, SCDW, SAAP, GP, TP, ZERO). Insurance ID: 441099-3399, Borgartún 19, 105 Reykjavík. Go Car Rental acts as distributor for Vörður policies.
• Guide to IcelandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Icelandic travel platform listing Go Car Rental with integrated availability and pricing. Provides distribution reach to travelers researching Iceland trips and serves as a review aggregation platform.
• NorthboundcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTravel marketplace with Go Car Rental listings, integrated booking, and verified customer reviews. Part of the company's distribution strategy beyond direct website bookings.
• KPMG IcelandminorOthersThird-party auditor for Kolviður carbon offset projects, providing certification and audit services for the carbon fund's afforestation initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/go-car-rental-iceland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Go Car Rental Iceland