Carsharing reduces car dependency and ownership in Brussels
Shared cars are playing a decisive role in reducing private car ownership in Brussels, according to a new study published by Bruxelles Mobilité – Brussel Mobiliteit.
The study, based on a survey of 2,200 users of Cambio Brussels (station-based) and Poppy Mobility (free-floating), provides the first concrete evidence that carsharing is helping to reduce private car ownership, cut emissions, and make city life more flexible and sustainable.
Throwing down the gauntlet against private car ownership
Cambio — Credits: Werner Lerooy
Poppy — Credits: Cineberg
Some mobility experts have pitted station-based carsharing (structured and reliable, but less flexible) against free-floating carsharing (spontaneous and convenient, yet more complex to regulate), weighing in on which model best balances urban order, user needs, and sustainability. The data from the Brussels Mobility study shows a different picture: rather than competing, the two systems appear to be complementary, and together, they are most effective at reducing reliance on private cars.
The distinction between the two models helps explain this result. Cambio’s station-based model is perfect for planned trips, and Poppy’s free-floating cars fill in the more unplanned and short-notice gaps—together, they cover nearly every scenario that might otherwise push someone to own and/or use their own car.
This might as well be the reason why 60% of drivers who rely on both Cambio and Poppy have completely given up their private car, compared to 55% for Cambio-only and 47% for Poppy-only users, and 80% live without owning a single private car. Notably, 76% say they would buy a car if Cambio and Poppy were no longer available, underlining their central role in enabling car-free lifestyles.
Shared mobility beyond car sharing
Villo! bikes in Brussels — Credits: Alex Donin
Beyond ownership figures, the study highlights the broader behavioural effects of carsharing—in particular, how Brussels’ shared mobility ecosystem functions as a whole, extending beyond carsharing to bikes and e-scooters.
Indeed, shared-car users are among Brussels’ most multimodal travellers. 70% of Cambio users and 65% of Poppy users hold public transport passes, using trams, buses, and metros for daily commutes; they also walk and cycle more frequently, and significantly reduce their use of private cars when they still own one—among users who retain a car, 53% of Cambio members and 40% of Poppy users report driving less since switching to carsharing.
In 2024, station-based shared bikes (Villo!) recorded an average of 2,517 daily trips, while free-floating e-scooters and e-bikes saw even heavier turnover, with 25,799 e-scooter trips and 5,422 e-bike trips daily. The average distance per ride—2.8 km for e-scooters, 3.1 km for e-bikes—demonstrates their role in short urban trips, often complementing public transport. Shared cars, meanwhile, operate far more efficiently than privately owned vehicles: station-based cars logged 976 trips per day with an average rental duration of 8.4 hours and a 35% use rate, while free-floating cars made 4,751 trips daily, averaging just over two hours per ride and in use 13% of the time—well above the 2.4% active use rate of private cars!
Car sharing is not a niche
The study also overturns persistent assumptions about who carsharing is for, debunking the stereotype that carsharing is only for young, tech-savvy urbanites.
One-third of Brussels car-sharing users are households with children, demonstrating that family life in the city no longer necessarily requires owning a car, provided access exists when it truly matters.
Older age groups are also well represented: nearly 30% of Cambio users are over 55, including 11% aged 65 and above—a demographic often assumed to be shared mobility-averse. Poppy attracts a slightly younger audience, but still shows that 18% of its users are over 55.
A new model for public-private collaboration
The study itself represents a milestone in public-private collaboration. Bruxelles Mobilité conducted the survey with independent research partners, while Cambio and Poppy actively participated, validated the results, and are jointly communicating the findings. This shared approach strengthens trust in the data and illustrates how cooperation can accelerate the development of a coherent Mobility-as-a-Service ecosystem.
Of importance to POLIS, these results align with the objectives of STEER-NWE, a transnational project running from 2025 to 2028 that supports public authorities in deploying smarter and more inclusive e-carsharing solutions across North-West Europe. Brussels Environment and Brussels Mobilité are part of the project—just like POLIS—and will pilot e-carsharing solutions in the Brussels Region, building on Brussels’ growing evidence base for shared mobility as a lever to reduce car dependency.
Bottom line is that carsharing in Brussels works—not as a standalone solution, but as a core component of an integrated mobility system. Expanding access to both station-based and free-floating services, and ensuring they are well connected to public transport, walking, and cycling networks, will be key to further reducing car dependency and improving quality of life in the city.
The full report and a visual summary are available via Bruxelles Mobilité – Brussel Mobiliteit.
