'Free floating' car share Zipcar launches in Brussels

Another car-sharing service has come to Brussels, with the launch of Zipcar this week in the presence of the region’s mobility minister, Pascal Smet.

Zipcar operates according to the “free floating” model: unlike Cambio, which has its own designated parking places, Zipcar cars – a fleet of 250 Peugeots – can be picked up and dropped off anywhere in the city. Following a one-time sign-up charge, you pay 25 cents per minute of use.

When you’re done with the car, you leave it in any space with the keys locked inside. The service works via a smartphone app, which can also be used to unlock the doors.

Zipcar has an agreement with the Brussels-Capital Region to pay €25 a year for each car to cover parking. There are still restrictions on parking in orange and red zones, however, where paid parking is limited to two hours.

Smet welcomes the new service as a contribution to reducing the number of cars in the city. “Since the 1960s, Brussels has developed into a city for cars,” he said. “We’re going for a shift to fewer cars. We’re not against them, but not everyone has to have a car, though it’s good for people to know a car is available.”

Zipcar, a subsidiary of car rental giant Avis, now joins other services Cambio, DriveNow and Zen Car. “The more players, the more competition,” Smet commented, and he thanked the company for its confidence in investing in the capital. “Brussels has been going through a tough time since the attacks [of 22 March]. Businesses are thinking twice before investing. It’s a good sign that Zipcar has seen this through.”

Photo courtesy Zipcar