GoCar expands its Cork presence with the addition of two new locations

GoCar, Ireland’s leading car sharing service and part of the Europcar Mobility Group, has expanded its Cork presence with the addition of two new locations at Douglas Court Shopping Centre and Mahon Retail Park.

These new locations bring the total number of GoCar bases in Cork to eight and are among 50 new GoCar bases that opened in Ireland last year.

Cork was chosen as part of GoCar’s ongoing expansion plans and desire to make car sharing more accessible to Irish drivers reducing the total number of cars on our roads.

2020 saw GoCar increase its number of locations from 550 to 600 bases across the country, adding key locations in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Drogheda, Naas, Navan and Kilkenny.

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for car sharing services has remained buoyant with GoCar expanding its fleet of vehicles by 10% in 2020, with a total 770 vehicles now available to users across the country. The car sharing provider’s regional bases account for a significant proportion of this growth with its fleet growing by two-thirds to 100 vehicles to cater for this demand. The company plans to double this figure in 2021 to 200 vehicles.

The car sharing service allows members to book and use any car registered with GoCar. Users can easily book cars online or via the app, then unlock it either with their phone, GoCar card or Leap Card; the keys are inside the car, with fuel, insurance and city parking all included. Rental costs start from just €9 an hour, with some corporate customers using the service to reduce fleet costs, offering on-site sharing cars for employees.

Commenting on the announcement Colm Brady, Managing Director at Europcar Mobility Group Ireland said: “While 2020 was a challenging year, there’s no doubt that the demand for car sharing services is there and as a result we are determined to make it as accessible as possible to consumers across the country. For many households GoCar presents a credible alternative to car ownership and is a really cost-effective solution for commuting, shopping trips, staycation travel and more.

People’s attitudes to car ownership and sustainable transport are constantly evolving, and now, more than ever before, they are rethinking their individual transport requirements and considering flexibility, cost and importantly - environmental impact.”