Zipcar
Zipcar is an American car-sharing company and a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group. Zipcar provides vehicle reservations to its members, billable by the minute, hour or day; members may have to pay a monthly or annual membership fee in addition to car reservations charges. Gas, maintenance, insurance options, and a dedicated parking spot are included. Zipcar was founded in 2000 by Antje Danielson and Robin Chase.
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Car sharing |
| Founded | January 2000, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts, US |
Area served | Urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Iceland, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United Kingdom |
Key people | Angelo Adams (president) |
| Services | Car sharing |
Number of employees | Over 500 |
| Parent | Avis Budget Group |
| Website | zipcar |
| Footnotes / references | |
On March 14, 2013, Avis Budget Group acquired Zipcar for approximately US$500 million. Scott Griffith, who had run the company for the previous 10 years, resigned the day after the acquisition closed and passed the reins to a new company president, Mark Norman. In early 2014, Kaye Ceille took over as Zipcar's North American President. In the summer of 2016, Kaye Ceille became a managing director of Avis Budget Group International and in 2017, Tracey Zhen was appointed as President. Angelo Adams was announced as the head of Zipcar in 2022.
In September 2016, Zipcar announced that it had 1 million members across 500 cities in 9 countries, and offers nearly 10,000 vehicles.
Members can instantly join and reserve vehicles via Zipcar's Android or iPhone mobile app or online, and once approved, immediately or up to a year in advance book Zipcars. Zipcar members have 24/7 on-demand access to the cars by enabling bluetooth on their Zipcar mobile app or, if needed, an access card which unlocks the door; the keys are already located inside. Members can also use Zipcar's app to search, book and locate a Zipcar by honking its horn, extend, end and cancel a reservation.
In the third quarter of 2007, Zipcar merged with Seattle-based rival Flexcar to create a nationwide car rental company. The company's IPO was in April 2011. Zipcar common stock traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "ZIP" until it was acquired by Avis in 2013.