Yoogo Share rebrands as Zilch

Electric car sharing service Yoogo Share has relaunched as Zilch.

Zilch means “zero” or “nothing”, as in zero emissions.

Zero emission car sharing is a way for organisations and individuals to significantly reduce their carbon footprint, the company says.

Yoogo Share was launched in Christchurch in February 2018, with prime minister Jacinda Ardern doing the honours.

As Zilch, the car share intends making sustainable mobility a part of everyday life, the name aiming to better align the brand to the vision.

While changes may be made to the way the service looks, Zilch says it provides business as usual for its forward-thinking customers already on board.

It already has more than 2000 bookings monthly in Christchurch and has saved about 240 tonnes of carbon in the city, running mainly Hyundai Ioniq and BMW i3 EVs.

“We’ve recently opened a hub in Fanshawe Street in Auckland,” Zilch co-founder and general manager Kirsten Corson says.

“Investment from Genesis Energy is allowing Zilch to expand its Auckland operations and also to launch next year in Wellington.”

Corson says some Hyundai Kona EVs will be added to the Auckland fleet and that a new hub will be opening soon at Auckland Airport, with further hubs opening in 2020.