Full Breakdown
Car Sharing Cuts Costs and Emissions in Australia’s Major Cities
By Drooid · · How we work
The Rise of Car Sharing in Australian Cities
Car-share operators such as Flexicar, GoGet, Kinto, and Evee now provide vehicles that can be booked via smartphone apps and picked up at designated bays. The City of Sydney maintains more than 800 bays, while the City of Melbourne has about 600. Users typically pay an hourly rate that includes fuel, registration and insurance, with some services also charging a membership fee.
Economic and Environmental Context
Transport accounts for roughly 15 % of Australian household income, according to the Australian Automobile Association, and vehicle-related expenses (insurance, registration, servicing and roadside assistance) average about $8,000 per year. Cars also represent the second-largest source of national emissions, contributing about half of the carbon footprint of an average household. In dense urban areas, a private car occupies about 9.2 square metres per person, compared with 0.5–1.5 square metres for walking, cycling or public transport.
Expert Perspectives and Key Figures
- Hussein Dia – Professor of transport technology and sustainability at Swinburne University; argues that car sharing shifts the decision-making focus from ownership to access.
- Dr Elliot Fishman – Director at the Institute for Sensible Transport; notes that the average shared-car trip lasts 18 hours or more and that each vehicle is hired roughly once every two to three days, with vans about twice as busy.
- Assoc Prof Jennifer Kent – Academic commentator on transport economics; emphasizes that households that replace a private car with shared access achieve both financial savings and broader societal environmental gains.
Quantified Benefits
The City of Melbourne estimates that each car-share vehicle removes up to nine privately owned cars from the road, cutting individual members’ car use by as much as 50 %. Fleet compositions vary: Kinto operates a hybrid-only fleet, Flexicar includes eight electric vehicles plus a majority of hybrids, and Evee is fully electric. However, Dr Fishman points out that thin operating margins limit many providers’ ability to finance fully electric fleets without external support.
Implications for Urban Planning
Analysts suggest that fewer privately owned cars free up valuable urban space currently devoted to parking, allowing alternative uses such as green areas or housing. State governments could accelerate the transition to low-emission fleets by offering rebates or free charging at car-share bays, a recommendation echoed by the experts cited above. The prevailing view among commentators is that a sustainable city does not require the elimination of all cars, but rather a reduction in the total number owned and more efficient use of the vehicles that remain.