WORLD WRI ROSS CENTER FOR RESOURCES SUSTAINABLE INSTITUTE CITIES CARSHARING A Vehicle for Sustainable Mobility in Emerging Markets? WRICITIES.ORG Carsharing: A Vehicle For Sustainable Mobility In Emerging Markets? i CLAYTON LANE HESHUANG ZENG CHHAVI DHINGRA AILEEN CARRIGAN This report was made possible through funding from Shell Foundation, Stephen M. Ross Philanthropies, and Volkswagen Group Research. Design and layout by: Julie Moretti
[email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Foreword 3 Executive Summary 7 Introduction 13 Methodology 21 Current Status of Carsharing in Emerging Markets 35 Social and Environmental Impact 41 Barriers and Opportunities 47 Potential Markets 51 Operational Models 59 Conclusion 63 References 67 Endnotes 69 Acknowledgments iv WRICities.org FOREWORD Cities have the potential to become powerful engines Carsharing has the potential to increase carless of social and environmental progress, lifting households’ mobility and access to goods, services, hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and and opportunities and, in some markets, it might ensuring the sustainability of our planet. But rapid even delay the decision to purchase a car. If urbanization also poses substantial challenges. carsharing takes root in emerging markets before Poorly planned, sprawling cities can threaten car ownership becomes ubiquitous, households quality of life, worsen pollution and public health, might opt to share a car instead of owning one. and undermine efforts to sustain economic growth. Their need for occasional auto use will be satisfied Perhaps no trend accelerates these challenges while they primarily rely on walking, biking, more than rapid motorization—advancing personal and public transit for day-to-day mobility. In this mobility, but threatening virtually every measure of way, carsharing could be an effective element of sustainability, from road safety to climate stability.