GoCar invests €10m in car sharing fleet

Services will be available in 24 counties by end of year

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Paul McNeice, GoCar

Vehicle sharing service GoCar has invested €10 million in the expansion and enhancement of its current vehicle sharing services across Ireland.

The investment is part of GoCar’s commitment to provide sustainable and convenient mobility solutions to meet growing customer demand for alternative transport options to private vehicle ownership.

The investment will support increased vehicle availability and wider vehicle choices for customers throughout the country. A total of 280 new vehicles will be added across 149 locations, catering to both urban and rural communities. This expansion aims to provide users with a broader range of vehicle types, ensuring increased choice and flexibility when it comes to public transport options.

GoCar’s fleet has seen a rise from 820 vehicles in January 2023 to 930 vehicles in July 2023, with the current investment supporting further increase to more than 1100 vehicles in over 600 locations across 24 counties nationwide by the end of the year.

GoCar will also be launching a new website and app designed to provide a more innovative and intuitive customer experience. Additionally, a new loyalty programme will be introduced, rewarding repeat customers for their continued use of car sharing services, with the launch planned for late 2023.

In response to the evolving preferences of its users, GoCar is introducing a variety of new vehicle types to its fleet. These new additions include the ‘GoLocal’ – a smaller city vehicle perfect for short urban trips, and the ‘GoExplore Plus’ – a spacious SUV catering to families and longer journeys.

The ‘GoLocal’ new entry level model is available to rent from €9 per hour /€50 daily, while the ‘GoExplore Plus’ can be booked from €15 per hour or €80 per day.

Furthermore, GoCar aims to address the growing demand for electric vehicles in 2024 by collaborating with strategic partners to bolster the expansion of its ‘GoElectric’ range, providing environmentally conscious customers with sustainable transportation choices.

Paul McNeice, head of country for GoCar (pictured), said: “Over the past three years, we have been evolving beyond our legacy urban hubs in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway and we are committed to making GoCar available in 24 counties across ROI by the end of 2023.

“Our customers recognise the environmental benefits of embracing multi-modal transport, combining walking, cycling, public transit, trains, and car sharing to meet varied needs. Our research, based on European studies, shows that GoCar annually removes over 8,000 cars from Irish roads, underlining our sustainability commitment. Notably, 62% of users abstain from car ownership while 57% actively use public transport.

“Separately, 60% of our users said they would consider purchasing a car if GoCar didn’t exist. As attitudes shift toward sustainability, GoCar’s fleet expansion investment addresses alternative and multi-modal transport needs effectively.”

TechCentral Reporters

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