Car subscriptions in a sharing economy

An Insight Into the Sharing Economy

The climate crisis requires us all to adapt our lifestyles in various areas. According to the Federal Council's findings, the mobility sector in Switzerland contributes to around 40 percent of CO2 emissions. At the same time, it is difficult for many people to completely give up their cars. It is therefore crucial to find sustainable solutions that are feasible for a broad section of the population.

Sharing Economy as a Solution

One approach that aims to sustainably change our current lives is the sharing economy. The term sharing economy refers to the collaborative use of goods through sharing, swapping, borrowing, renting or giving. A sharing economy can thus be more environmentally sustainable than an economy based on individual ownership, as items are used more efficiently and less needs to be produced overall. A sharing economy extends to a variety of areas of life, including fashion, housing, and transportation, among others. In this context, car subscriptions are an emerging mobility concept that fits perfectly into this new era of sharing.

What are car subscriptions?

CARIFY car subscriptions are the flexible all-inclusive alternative to leasing or buying: all costs related to a desired car are covered in a single monthly fee, including repairs, maintenance, tires, motor vehicle tax and registration in the canton of residence. Naturally, comprehensive insurance is also included in the subscription price. Customers only have to pay for fuel. Essentially, the CARIFY car subscription works like a monthly membership: users choose a specific car and a term (1 - 48 months) in which they want to use it, and specify the maximum number of kilometers they want to drive per month (750 - 3000 kilometers). Then the car is registered to them and is available to customers as long as the subscription is active. If our customers no longer need a car, they can cancel the subscription and the car will be available to others again.

Car subscriptions make our mobility more sustainable

According to a study by ARD, passenger cars spend about 95 percent of their lifetime unused. Much of this time is spent in parking lots while cars are waiting to be put back into service, for example while you are at work. In addition, many cars stand around unsold at garages, losing value on the one hand and taking up a lot of space on the other. In Switzerland, there are also many cars that are only used in one season and stand around unused the rest of the year (e.g. convertibles in summer).

CARIFY's car subscription offers an innovative solution to such problem by connecting unused cars from garages with people who need a car: CARIFY works with over 450 garages in Switzerland that make their existing vehicles available for our service. In this way, we give existing high-quality vehicles a second chance and at the same time reduce the need to manufacture new vehicles. If at some point customers no longer need a vehicle, they can cancel their existing subscription and the car is directly available to others again.

Advantages of CARIFY

The CARIFY car subscription is a prime example of integration into the sharing economy and offers the following benefits:

1.Sustainability

Efficient use of vehicles reduces resource consumption. If fewer vehicles have to be produced overall, this has a positive effect on emissions.

2. Flexibility

The CARIFY car subscription allows users to change vehicles depending on their needs and lifestyle. This helps reduce excess capacity and allows people to use just the right car for their needs without making a long-term commitment. For example, a convertible can be booked in the summer and a SUV in the winter, without having to buy two vehicles at the same time but having one sitting around unused.

3. Cost

Especially for people who only need a car for a short time, car subscriptions are often less expensive than buying or leasing a vehicle. Monthly fees often include insurance, maintenance and repairs, resulting in transparent and predictable budgeting. Furthermore, there is no need to worry about selling the vehicle and the cost of depreciation is also eliminated.

4. Revenue Increase for Garages

For garages, car subscriptions offer a useful way to reduce their inventory of long-tail vehicles while turning them into regular revenue streams. If a car dealer has too large an inventory of vehicles, he can arrange for them to be sold via a car subscription.

Conclusion

CARIFY car subscriptions contribute to the creation of a sustainable sharing economy while offering a convenient and flexible alternative to leasing or buying.
Have we piqued your interest? Click here to see our selection of over 1000 vehicles.