To Our Members,

car2go has made the difficult decision to exit the following North American cities: Austin, Calgary, Denver and Portland effective October 31st; and Chicago effective December 31st.

This decision was not made lightly. We have had to face the hard reality that despite our efforts, we underestimated the investment and resources that are truly necessary to make our service successful in these complex transportation markets amid a quickly-changing mobility landscape.

Since launching in North America in 2009, transportation has changed drastically and mostly for the better. Providing viable alternatives to private car ownership in increasingly densifying cities brings numerous economic and quality of life benefits. Though it still remains prevalent, studies agree that the sustainability of private car ownership in cities is limited. The industry has been disrupted and the bubble will eventually burst. Things are changing. And we firmly believe that free-floating carshare has played a role and still does.

However, with great change comes great challenges. The transportation market is highly volatile, especially in North America. We are certainly not the only transportation player – from traditional automakers to ride-hail giants to micro-mobility disruptors – who have had to face this reality and adjust course. Ultimately, we know that in order to ensure the future of our business in North America, we have to think differently about where and how we operate.

We are now refocusing our efforts and our resources on the cities that present the clearest path to free-floating carshare success: New York City, Washington D.C., Montreal, Vancouver and Seattle.

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to every employee, member, business partner and city stakeholder who have supported us throughout the years in these cities. We deeply regret any inconvenience this decision causes.

Sincerely,

car2go