Carbon emission savings soar

Electric car sharing service Yoogo Share has hit 100 tonnes of carbon emission savings for Christchurch.

Launched in Christchurch by prime minister Jacinda Ardern and mayor Lianne Dalziel in February 2018, the car sharing service allows members to drive electric cars on-demand, paying only for the time they use the cars. All costs such as parking are covered by the hire cost.

The Christchurch City Council was instrumental in leading the project, removing 55 petrol cars from its fleet in the process, and Dalziel says 100 tonnes in carbon emission savings in less than a year is “great news” and among steps transitioning to a smart sustainable city.

About 30 other local businesses use the service now.

“The credit goes to our 4000 strong (and growing) membership base that has chosen our service in place of other options,” Yoogo Share general manager Kirsten Corson says.

“Hitting 100 tonnes of carbon savings has been a wonderful achievement for our members. We are expecting sharp growth this year with one-way trips to and from the airport launching shortly, so we expect these savings will quickly surpass 100 tonnes.”

The savings equate to the tailpipe emissions of an equivalent petrol car making 250 trips the length of New Zealand.

Auckland has committed to an emission free CBD by 2030 and has two electric buses under trial.

This year Christchurch will launch three new electric buses.

The introduction of ride sharing services, shared electric scooters, bicycles lanes and e-bikes is changing the way New Zealanders travel with many using a mix of shared mobility options for their travel needs.

“It’s great to see families downsizing to one car and using Yoogo Share alongside a mix of mobility options in Christchurch,” Corson says.

“Some early adopters have sold their cars completely, choosing to drive Yoogo Share cars instead.”

Yoogo Share also expects to own autonomous vehicles when they arrive and deliver app-controlled accessibility.