The existing and the emerging: car ownership and car sharing on the road towards sustainable mobility

Abstract

The use of car sharing has experienced rapid growth in recent years, but user-numbers are still low, and privately owned cars dominate. This paper studies how the use of car sharing contributes to altering the car system in urban areas. The study employs data from semi-structured interviews with 39 households in Oslo that are members of car-sharing arrangements. How does the current use of car sharing in Oslo relate to and influence the established use of privately owned cars? Are these relations elements in a transition towards sustainable mobility? The study finds that car sharing acts help to promote reduced car-ownership, changing and reducing the overall use of cars. However, there are limits to its contribution to environmental sustainability because of the continued use of fossil fuel cars and the continued dependence on privately used cars.