Frost & Sullivan: Rising Awareness of Car Sharing Concept Set to Increase Uptake

- Voice of the Future Car Sharing Customer Study reveals: 40 per cent of potential car sharing members consider selling their car

LONDON, May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Whilst Car sharing as a concept has existed for several years, the uptake rates and emergence of new players in the traditional as well as "Peer to Peer (P2P)" car sharing market has proliferated in the last 5 years. Member numbers increased by over 90 per cent between 2008 and 2012, growing from 500,000 to over 940,000. According to Frost & Sullivan, this trend is set to continue.

In an upcoming web conference, entitled Car Sharing – The Voice of the Consumer, taking place on Tuesday, 14 May 2013, at 3.00 p.m. BST, Frost & Sullivan Mobility Programme Manager, Mr. Martyn Briggs, and Programme Manager, Mr. Mohamed Mubarak, will present latest findings from a customer research study on consumer profiles of members currently using car sharing services, including their preferences and aspirations for the car sharing concept in future. The idea of this voice of the consumer study was also to understand from non-members what would encourage them to join such new mobility services, as well as their idea of a 'winning concept'.

To participate in this complimentary web conference, please email Katja Feick at katja.feick@frost.com with your full contact details. Upon receipt of the above information, a registration link will be e-mailed to you. You may also register to receive a recorded version of the briefing at anytime by submitting the aforementioned contact details.

A targeted survey of over 2,300 people was conducted in a total of 12 cities in the UK (London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh), France (Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse), and Germany (Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and Cologne). The study used the 'Adaptive Choice Based Conjoint' methodology that enables the possibility to create different simulations of car sharing models and generate the respective pricing and market share. The web conference will now give an overview regarding transport usage and commuting profiles, the customer's / member's perspective on the current and future usage of car sharing services and the willingness to pay for the service, existing car sharing member profiles, as well as familiarity, interest and adoption amongst non-members.

"Our research revealed a potential for over 15 million car sharing members in Europe alone by 2020, but there is a lot of education and behavioural change amongst consumers' mobility patterns that need to take place to achieve such growth," outlines Mr. Briggs. "The voice of the consumer survey yielded interesting results; for example, the majority of car sharing members (53 per cent) were under 34, degree educated (67 per cent), and did not own a car (51 per cent)."

The survey also illustrates that the market for P2P Car Sharing is still in its nascent stage and is expected to co-exist with traditional car sharing. The interest in using someone else's car is higher than the interest to providing own car to be used by others. Surprisingly, there exists a correlation between the interest in becoming a car sharing member and the interest in providing the own car to be used by others.

From those of the whole sample, who currently own a car and are considering joining a car sharing service, over 40 per cent would consider selling their vehicle. This underlines the continued downward trend in car ownership in major cities that adopt car sharing services.

This web conference will benefit car sharing operators, and all parties interested in the perceptions of car sharing, such as automotive manufacturers, transport operators, fleet/leasing companies, and technology providers in particular, but also from transport & mobility professionals, researchers and associated media.

Join us for our upcoming event Urban Mobility 3.0
Frost & Sullivan will be hosting its two day event on 19-20 June 2013 for the 4th time this year, taking place in London at the House of Lords and the Siemens Crystal Building. Day 2 will consist of 5 different panels, focussing on megatrends and their impact on mobility, new business models, such as mobility integration, car sharing, and new fleet/leasing models, urban logistics an online retailing, the future of public transport, including HSR, BRT buses, PRT and hybrid/electric buses, as well as autonomous driving and infrastructure trends. For more information, visit: www.urbanmobility.gilcommunity.com/

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Katja Feick
Corporate Communications – Europe
P: +49 (0) 69 7703343
E: katja.feick@frost.com
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SOURCE Frost & Sullivan