Benefits of Car Sharing for the Environment
Fewer cars on the road means reduced emissions. And reducing emissions means better air quality. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), car emissions cause 75 percent of carbon monoxide emissions in the U.S.
Fewer cars on the road also means less gas being purchased. It also means reduced need for the expansion of roads and parking structures. One way to reduce your impact on pollution is to share a car with others.
Car sharing is effective when it comes to the decongestion of our roads and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. When we have better transportation choices — car sharing, electric vehicles, better public transportation, and more car alternatives (like the popular ebike!) — we can make a difference when it comes to the environment.
Hybrids and Electric Cars
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “...hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and all-electric vehicles (EVs) typically produce lower tailpipe emissions than conventional vehicles do.”
Gig’s low- and zero-emission vehicle fleet includes hybrids in the Bay Area and Seattle, and electric cars in Sacramento. Our Toyota Prius C and XLE models offer capable, full hybrid electric systems and good fuel economy ratings. The Prius C is a smaller alternative, while the XLE is an efficient hatchback. The Chevy Bolt is a fully electric subcompact vehicle.
Four Years of Gig
In our first four years, we’ve put more than 1,000 hybrid and electric cars on the streets for our Members to share.
In this time, our Members have driven 24 million miles across more than 1.3 million trips.
One study found that each free-floating, one-way carsharing vehicle removed 7 to 11 vehicles on average from the road in the cities studied*
You’ve helped make all of this possible. By using GIG Car Share, you are choosing to contribute to the movement behind community-powered car sharing.
We’ll continue to provide low-and zero-emission vehicles, while you continue to make the smart and healthy choice to share a reliable and more sustainable car for your travels. Together, we can help shape the change we need for a healthier, greener planet.
Learn more about Gig’s impact by watching our 4 Year Anniversary Video here.
*This study, Carsharing’s Impact and Future, studied free-floating one-way carsharing members across five cities in the U.S. and Canada, and included four business models: 1) business to consumer (B2C); 2) business to government (B2G); 3) business to business (B2B); and 4) peer-to-peer (P2P).