Avis Budget Group has confirmed plans to close its car-sharing service Zipcar in the UK during the next few weeks.
The car rental firm announced a proposal to close the Zipcar service in the UK last month and that decision was finalised on Friday (16 January).
Zipcar, which caters to both business and leisure markets, has around 650,000 members in the UK. Members can no longer make new bookings with Zipcar and their accounts are set to be deactivated on 17 February.
Avis Budget said that the decision had been taken to “streamline operations, improve returns, and position the company for long-term sustainability and growth”.
James Taylor, general manager for Zipcar, said in an email to members: “Following formal consultation with our UK employees, we can now confirm that Zipcar will cease operating in the UK.
“In accordance with clause 7.5 of the member terms, please take this as your written notice that we will formally close your account in 30 days’ time.”
Zipcar had already been reducing its activities in the UK. It closed operations in Bristol, Cambridge and Oxford in 2024 to shift focus to its core market in London, where it has operated for nearly 20 years.
Avis Budget purchased Zipcar in 2013 for $500 million as part of a move by car rental firms to offer a wider range of urban mobility options. Zipcar continues to operate in other markets, such as the US, Canada and Iceland.