The GoGet Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is popular.
Melbourne leads other Australian cities in carshare adoption, with more than 95% of Melbourne homes within 250 metres of a shared vehicle.
While new car sales are generally falling (except for EVs and hybrids) – the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) reports an 8.4% decline in new car sales in Victoria based on February’s figures – carshare is increasing.
Australia’s first and largest carshare network GoGet points to rapid adoption among seniors (43%) and students (15%) for Melbourne hitting ‘critical mass’ on carshare.
It’s also integrating EVs and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).
“GoGet has tested EVs in its fleet since 2011, and will track adoption of EVs in the general market to ensure they can be viable in a car share context,” GoGet Victoria general manager Justin Passaportis says.
He says 10 private vehicles are removed from the road by each GoGet vehicle reducing emissions and congestion.
“We have PHEVs integrated successfully into the fleet and are poised to continue EV adoption as the EV market and charging network matures.”
Increased carshare use has been most prominent in the city centre, with more than 17% of all City of Melbourne households now signed up to GoGet.
“Increasingly scarce parking in the city means people might have a better chance of a shared vehicle being closer to them than their private car or any traditional community service,” Passaportis says.
“With added convenience and the cost of owning a private vehicle averaging over $6000 annually, people are realising that owning a car, or at least owning a second car, doesn’t make sense.”
The Melbourne carshare movement is timely as congestion becomes a heavier burden on the city –TomTom’s annual Traffic Index showing Melbourne closing in on Sydney as the most congested city in Australia.
“As Melbourne continues its journey to become a smart city, carshare and the wider idea of shared mobility need to be part of the picture,” Passaportis says.
Open Cities chief executive Lisa McLean says that with carshare now so close to Melbourne homes the city has reached a critical benchmark as it moves towards smart city status.
The organisation is working to accelerate the circular economy and transition to a sustainable future.
“The city has joined the ranks of the leading carshare cities in the world and the continued expansion of carshare will help improve mobility, relieve congestion and preserve the city’s air quality,” she says.
