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Carsharing


What is carsharing?

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Literally, it’s sharing cars between other members. In Metro Vancouver, there are 4 different carshare providers you can choose to use: Modo the Car Co-op, Evo, car2go and ZipCar. Not ready to give up driving but don’t use your car very often? Consider trying carsharing!

Why Carshare?

  • It’s affordable- did you know it costs an avg of $9,500/year to own & operate a car in BC?

  • It’s convenient- no more worrying about gas, insurance, and maintenance- plus you get parking privileges, such as free parking in designated permit/resident-only spaces in the City of Vancouver

  • It’s safe: shared cars are always maintained according manufacturer standards, schedules & warranties

  • Pay only for what you use- by the hour or by the day

  • A greener option- shared cars reduces the need for car ownership and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions from increased driving, and reduces the demand for parking


What’s the difference between carshare companies?

Modo and Zipcar are both two way carshare providers. This means you have to drop the car off where you picked it up when you are done. This is great if you know you want the car for a return trip, and tends to be cheaper when you want the car for a longer period of time. They also offer a variety of types of cars.

Evo and car2go are both one way carshare providers. This means you can pick up the car from one place and drop it in another, as long as it’s in the home zone. This is great when you only want to take the car one way and not have to pay for the car when you are not driving it. They both have more limited car selections- Evo has Toyota Prius hybrids 5 seats with bike/ski racks, and car2go primarily has Smartcars for two people.

Many people are members of multiple providers so they can choose the provider that is the best fit for each trip.

Where are the cars located?

Modo has vehicles located throughout Metro Vancouver, as well as Victoria, Nanaimo, Squamish and Kelowna. In Metro Vancouver you can find them in Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Surrey, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Richmond, North Vancouver and one at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. Click here for a map of their car locations.

Evo’s home zone (area in which you can drop off the car) is the city of Vancouver (with some restrictions in southwest Vancouver) and New Westminster. Click here for a map of their home area.

Car2go’s home area is the City of Vancouver (north of Marine drive), with some restrictions in Southeast Vancouver), and some of North Vancouver. Click here for a map of their home area.

Zipcar has cars in Vancouver, including UBC, Burnaby, Richmond, and New Westminster. Click here for a map of their cars (scroll down).

Carshare vehicles can often be found within walking distance of SkyTrain, Canada Line, SeaBus and transit hubs throughout Metro Vancouver.


Do I need to use a smartphone to carshare?

It depends on the carshare provider.

Modo does not require a smartphone, and you can register and reserve online, or go down to their office in downtown Vancouver, Victoria or Kelowna to register, and you can always reserve by phone. You will get a fob to open the cars.

Zipcar does not require a smartphone, but you do need to reserve online (you can do this at home), and then you will use a special card they give you to unlock the car.

Evo and car2go require a smartphone to unlock their cars.


Is carsharing safe? What if I get into a collision?

Each carshare provider keeps their vehicles up to high safety standards and maintains them. They also each have their own insurance that covers you, but they all have different policies, so be sure to read into what is covered and what your options are.

Also, all carshare provider require you to request a driver’s abstract from ICBC, ensuring there all members have safe driving records.


How much does it cost?

Most carshare providers charge an initial minimal registration and a very low annual fee (often $2 which is an insurance requirement), and then you pay for what you use. Modo, as a local cooperative, has different pricing options, depending on what type of member you want to be.


Other frequently asked questions:

Each carshare organization has its own FAQ list.

Click here for a list of Modo FAQs

Click here for a list of Evo FAQs

Click here for a list of Car2go FAQs

Click here for a list of Zipcar FAQs (scroll down)

Phone numbers:

Modo- 604.685.1393

Evo- 604-268-5594

Car2go- 855-454-1002

Zipcar- no phone number