You’ve probably heard of pay-as-you-go mobile phones - you may even have one - but could the same philosophy be applied to vehicles? The success of car clubs across the UK suggests the answer is ‘yes’ and now there are a number of green car clubs emerging specifically targeting drivers that want to save cash and the environment. This guide to green car clubs will introduce you to the concept.

Quick links:

• What are green car clubs and how do they work?
• What are the advantages of joining a green car club?
• What are the disadvantages of joining a green car club?
• Which green car clubs can you choose from?

What are green car clubs and how do they work?

Car clubs have been set up with the premise of removing the hassles and expenses of car ownership - you don’t have to sort our insurance, pay road tax, etc, or worry about a vehicle’s depreciating value. Instead you simply pick up a car as and when you need it from a club that has a fleet of cars which members can book - and you pay based on how long you use the car for. The environmental appeal of these clubs has led many companies to market themselves as green car clubs, which offer an extensive range of environmentally friendly cars alongside other conventional vehicles.

So how do they work? Well, you register with a green car club in your area - the club will usually perform a check on your licence and after you pay a deposit you should have your membership confirmed. From there you’ll also be presented with a number of insurance options. The club will have insurance for its vehicles already, but if you are involved in an accident while driving you may have to pay an excess - usually around £500. It may be possible to pay a lower excess if you agree to an additional fee.

Once your membership and insurance details are confirmed, you can book a vehicle either online or over the phone which you can then pick up at a scheduled time from the location listed. Most providers have a number of locations - for example, Streetcar claims you are always within a 10minute walk of one of its vehicles if you live in London.

Your membership card acts as your key and then you simply enter the vehicle and begin driving. Charges vary depending on the provider you choose, but typically you will pay by the hour or for a set period - such as a full day or weekend. You will also be given a set number of miles you can travel within this period - anything additional may be charged at a rate per mile.

What are the advantages of joining a green car club?

The big advantage of car clubs is that they can save you money. You have all the advantages of using a car as and when you want it - but without having to pay for tax, insurance, servicing, cleaning and fuel. With today’s fuel prices sky rocketing, this can be a huge money saver. On its website, Streetcar estimates that if you booked its service for two trips a week over the year, you would save £2,000.Effectively, this is a method of public transport but with much more flexibility. Whereas a bus or train can only take you to the next station, with a car from a car club you can decide exactly where you want to go and change your route as is necessary.

There are many environmental benefits too. By just picking up a car as and when you need it, you can greatly reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Figures from the AA and Streetcar estimate that each scheme takes an average of 26 cars off the road in the UK as members often sell or don’t replace a car when they sign up. In fact, Streetcar claims it has already taken 6,500 cars off the road - significantly reducing our environmental impact.

Many of the car clubs now offer green cars to their members. Green cars may be more expensive to buy than conventional cars currently, so these clubs allow you to have the advantage of driving cars such as the Volkswagen BlueMotion (Streetcar) and the Honda IMAs (City Car Club) without the initial expense.

What are the disadvantages of joining a green car club?

The biggest disadvantage of joining a green car club rather than owning a car outright is the lack of flexibility. A car isn’t there, parked in your driveway, ready to use as and when you need. In some ways however, this could be seen as an advantage - when that initial convenience is lost, you may be more likely to walk or cycle as a substitute on short journeys.There are alternatives to green car clubs which may provide more flexibility. For example, you may choose to jointly own a car with a friend you trust, borrow someone else’s car or just hire a car when you need one. Public transport can be seen as a better choice for the environment too as you won’t be adding any additional emissions by jumping on to a train or bus instead.

Which green car clubs can you choose from?

There are a number of car clubs across the UK, however, the three biggest are:

• City Car Club - Includes locations in London, Edinburgh, Bath, Brighton, Bristol, Norwich, Portsmouth and Birmingham. Members pay a £75 fee to join (including £25 drive time) and then £3.96 an hour in a small car and £4.76 in a bigger car (data correct as of June 2008).
• Streetcar - Includes numerous locations across London, as well as Brighton, Southampton, Kent, Guildford and Cambridge. Club membership costs £49.50 a year and prices vary depending on the vehicle you hire - for example, a Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion costs £3.95 for one hour (data correct as of June 2008).
• WhizzGo - This car club has locations in Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, Southampton, St Albans, Winchester, Worcester and York. Membership costs £49.50 a year with a number of value package options available based on how often you are likely to use the service with pay-as-you-go rates varying depending on the city and the car you use (data correct as of June 2008).