Strategic Insight into the Global P2P Carsharing Market, 2018

Peer-to-peer (P2P) carsharing has turned out to be one of the most innovative approaches to shared mobility today. With increasing environmental concerns and changing trends towards vehicle ownership, the P2P model has brought a whole new perspective to mobility and showcases one of the best examples of collaborative consumption today.

In the last 3-5 years, P2P carsharing has witnessed a surge across the globe with increasing demand especially from young-generation users who seek unique experiences and vehicle owners who are attracted by the revenue benefits from renting their vehicles out. The global market today has more than 40 P2P carsharing service providers; this is a significant number if looked back into the recent timeline. The business models also aim to provide their own unique experiences while focusing on building greater trust among their communities through quality and reliability. Companies like Turo, Getaround, Drivy, and Snappcar are seeing a growing user base and an increasing number of vehicles on their platforms. On the other hand, specific P2P business models are also coming up which focus on a particular demographic set who like to experience driving exotic and luxury vehicles.

Frost & Sullivan has noted a growing interest among OEMs to launch P2P vehicle sharing services, which opens up a new opportunity to build brand-focused communities for carsharing while offering greater value to vehicle owners. The market has also witnessed an increase in strategic partnerships and investments from OEMs and other investors.

P2P carsharing has also been evolving over the years, driving change from a user experience perspective. Technology has been a backbone for the development of P2P carsharing business models. P2P service providers today offer telematics solutions and keyless vehicle access technologies, allowing for simplified and hassle-free exchange of vehicles between owners and renters. The market is poised to experience increased innovation towards providing a more enriching and fruitful experience with advancing technology, insurance coverage, and greater regulatory support from local governments. P2P carsharing is still in its early growth stage and, over the next 5-10 years, is expected be part of global Mega Trends such as Integrated Mobility.