Bolt eyes former Zipcar customers with London car-sharing push
Bolt is expanding into UK car sharing through a new partnership with Hiyacar, as the ride-hailing giant looks to fill the gap left by Zipcar’s withdrawal from London.
From autumn, Londoners will be able to book Hiyacar vehicles directly through the Bolt app without paying a membership fee, marking the first UK launch of Bolt Drive, the company’s car-sharing business.
The move gives Bolt another transport option alongside its existing ride-hailing, e-bike and scooter services, while providing Hiyacar with access to Bolt’s customer base, which the company said already includes more than half of London’s residents.
With Zipcar departing London, a gap for residents who need a car occasionally but do not want the costs of ownership has opened up.
“Most Londoners do not own a car, and many of them relied on Zipcar for the occasions when they needed one,” said Diego Ramirez-Gölz, regional general manager for Bolt Drive. “Hiyacar gives us a peer-to-peer network to work with, and Bolt gives Hiyacar reach.”
Users will be able to rent vehicles owned by private individuals through the Bolt app, with Hiyacar continuing to manage the peer-to-peer network behind the service.
“London has plenty of cars sitting idle. The problem is access,” said Don Iro, chief execuutive of Hiyacar. “Being in the Bolt app means our vehicles are visible to people at the moment they actually need one, not just to people who already knew Hiyacar existed.”
Betting on London’s shift away from car ownership
Bolt said the launch reflects changing travel habits in the capital, where fewer residents own a car but still need access to one for longer journeys or tasks such as moving house.
Research commissioned by the company found more than 75 per cent of Inner London residents do not own a car, while Bolt said more than 70 per cent of its UK customers are also non-car owners.
Founded in 2016, Hiyacar is the UK’s only homegrown peer-to-peer car-sharing platform and has more than 265,000 registered users.
Bolt launched in the UK in 2019 and now operates across 20 cities, offering ride-hailing alongside micromobility services including e-bikes and scooters.
The Hiyacar partnership marks the first time Bolt has introduced its Bolt Drive product in the UK, following similar integrations with local mobility providers elsewhere in Europe.