Uber enters car rental market

Car owners looking to make some extra money can now rent them to their neighbors, Uber announced on Thursday. 

Part of the ride-sharing company’s sustainability efforts, Uber’s new peer-to-peer Carshare option provides a platform for car owners to list their vehicles to local borrowers at hourly and daily rates. 

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UBER	UBER TECHNOLOGIES INC.	71.62	+0.06	+0.08%
LYFT	LYFT INC.	17.18	-0.43	-2.44%

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Drivers can now borrow a car when you need one, so you don’t have to own one, said Camiel Irving, Uber’s general manager of US/C mobility.

"For years, Uber has made it effortless to tap a button and get a ride on demand. Now, we're taking the same approach with carsharing by making it simple, affordable, and sustainable for you to borrow – and list – cars in your neighborhood," Irving added. "Uber has an unprecedented ability to bring carsharing to the mainstream unlike any other company in the market today."

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Currently, Hertz Global Holdings has the lion’s share of the rental car market with roughly 36%. Enterprise Holdings is right behind at 33%, while Avis sits at 29.2%. Uber Rent partners with both Hertz and Avis for traditional car rentals. 

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HTZ	HERTZ GLOBAL	4.72	-0.20	-4.07%
CAR	AVIS BUDGET GROUP INC.	105.93	-3.14	-2.88%

Meanwhile, Uber’s new ridesharing option is already available in Australia and will soon launch in Boston and Toronto before subsequently opening around North America, Uber confirmed to FOX Business. 

How does Uber Carshare work?

With fuel included in the cost, Uber will suggest pricing and allow owners to set availability and final pricing, the company said. 

Meanwhile, car availability will be listed in 15-minute increments with no requirements for advanced booking. According to Uber, vehicles must also meet a list of requirements, including type, age and mileage restrictions before being listed on the platform.

Uber’s other sustainability efforts 

The Uber App will now include an Emission Savings feature, while riders who choose Uber Comfort Electric or Uber Green at select airports will be eligible for perks like lower fares and exclusive access to dedicated pickup zones in preferred locations at the airport.

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According to Uber, riders at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport will receive a 40% discount on airport pickup and dropoff fees when they select Uber Comfort Electric rides, as well as access to conveniently located pickup locations on all terminal curbs with unique signage and markings making EV pickup locations easily visible. 

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Riders requesting an electric or hybrid vehicle entering Portland International Airport will get a preferential pickup area along the terminal curbside.

At London Heathrow Airport, there will be a designated Uber pickup location where riders will receive a 10% discount when selecting Uber Green at the airport. 

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Riders will receive a 10% discount when selecting Uber Green at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport.

Alongside the Carshare option and airport incentive, Uber also said it plans to eliminate emissions on all Uber Eats deliveries globally by 2040 and end all unnecessary plastic waste from deliveries by 2030.

The story was updated on 6/8/2023 to clarify the car rental peer-to-peer market vs. traditional car rentals.