London Braces for More Car Ownership as Zipcar Exits UK
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A Zipcar rental car and van in London on Dec. 4, 2025.
Photographer: Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images
Zipcar, a car-share business that allows vehicles to be rented by the hour or day, is set to leave the UK market in January, after nearly 20 years of operation. The exit of the US-based company not only leaves many of its 600,000 members scrambling for alternatives, but also marks a blow to cities like London, which could see a rise in private car ownership.
Rising financial pressures and flatlining usage were blamed for the move: By design, the short-term rental service allows users to easily grab Zipcars for occasional trips that can’t be covered by public transportation — think large shopping hauls or late-night travel. “For the city that is fantastic,” a former UK general manager tells Bloomberg’s Will Standring. “For the business, it’s terrible.” Today on CityLab: As Zipcar Leaves London, Car-Share Boosters Are Looking for a New Ride