Would you like to find out more about carsharing? In this blog post, we answer all the frequently asked questions about carsharing services: what it is, how it works, how much it costs, what benefits it offers, why it’s the best option, and any other queries you might have when looking for the best sustainable transport solution.
Electric carsharing is an increasingly attractive alternative for getting around town without needing your own vehicle. This mobility model allows you to use a car when you need it, paying for the time and distance travelled, whilst also supporting more sustainable transport.
If you’re thinking of trying carsharing or want to know if it’s the right option for you, we’ve answered the main questions below.
What is carsharing?
Carsharing is a shared mobility scheme that allows you to use a car without having to own it. The scheme works by enabling users to locate, book and use an available vehicle for as long as they need.
This allows users to have access to a car on an ad hoc basis without having to bear the costs associated with owning a vehicle, such as maintenance, insurance, etc.
This mobility model is particularly appealing in large cities such as Barcelona and, more generally, in all cities regardless of their size, where many people need a car on an occasional basis, but not every day.
What is electric carsharing?
Electric carsharing combines the benefits of shared mobility with 100% electric cars. This mobility system allows users to choose electric cars, thereby avoiding direct emissions whilst driving and producing less noise pollution than conventional vehicles.
For this reason, the electric carsharing system can be a very attractive alternative, particularly for urban and inter-city journeys, as it enables long-distance travel thanks to the availability of fast-charging facilities, and is ideal for users seeking more flexible and sustainable mobility.
How does carsharing work?
Using a carsharing service is very straightforward: the user must locate an available car, book it and unlock it via an app, complete the journey and end the service by following the instructions provided by the chosen company.
The procedure may vary depending on the company, but it usually works as follows:
- Sign up for the service. Create an account on the app and provide the necessary documentation, such as your driving licence.
- Find the vehicle that best suits your needs. Use the app to find the car closest to you that best suits your journey requirements.
- Book or unlock the car. Depending on the company you choose, you can either book it in advance or unlock it directly when you’re next to the vehicle.
- Make your journey. Carsharing allows you to use the car for as long as you need.
- End the hire. When you’ve finished using the vehicle, head to the car park where you picked up the car and follow the service’s instructions and rules to park the vehicle.
What is the difference between carsharing and conventional car hire?
Conventional car hire is designed to provide a vehicle for one or more days; this usually involves visiting a branch in person and completing administrative procedures for each booking, and does not offer 24-hour availability. Carsharing is booked digitally and allows you to make reservations 24/7, either by the hour or for one or more days, offering greater flexibility.
In the conventional car hire system, it is very common to book a car for a specific period, collect it and return it in accordance with the company’s terms and conditions. However, in the carsharing system, access to the vehicle is via a mobile app, offering greater flexibility.
What are the benefits of a carsharing service?
A carsharing service offers a number of benefits, the most notable of which are:
- Flexibility: there’s no need to go to a car hire office or deal with all the paperwork involved in a conventional hire. Using the mobile app, you can find the car that best suits your needs, book it and use it only when you need it.
- Cost savings: you avoid the expenses associated with car ownership, such as maintenance, road tax and insurance. With a carsharing service, you only pay for the time you use the vehicle and the kilometres travelled, according to the company’s rates. Electricity and recharging are generally included.
- Access to electric vehicles: the electric carsharing service allows you to use a 100% electric car without the investment required to buy one.
- Ease of use: via a mobile app, users can find a car, book it and unlock it when they’re ready to use it.
- An alternative for business travel: for one-off or regular journeys, it is a very practical and cost-effective alternative, as it reduces fixed fleet costs and offers greater availability to employees.
- More sustainable mobility: electric vehicles produce no direct emissions whilst driving, thereby contributing to urban mobility with a lower environmental impact.
- Convenience: you’ll have a range of pick-up points close to you.
How is the price of carsharing calculated?
One of the most frequently asked questions about carsharing is the price of the service. However, this depends on the terms and conditions of each service. The duration of use, the kilometres travelled, or a combination of both factors are usually the elements that determine the price.
Before starting a journey, check the applicable rates and see what is included in the price.
At MEC electric carsharing, we offer a range of rates and mileage packages. We also include 50 km free of charge with every hourly booking and 50 km for each day’s booking.
What do you need to rent an electric car with MEC?
To rent an electric car from MEC, you must meet certain requirements set by the service and complete the registration process via the app beforehand.
Firstly, you must hold a valid driving licence that has been held for at least one year and provide the documentation requested during the registration process. Once registered, you will be able to view the available vehicles and use the service in accordance with MEC’s terms and conditions.
Where can MEC’s carsharing electric cars be parked?
At MEC, we have an extensive network of car parks spread across the city of Barcelona, allowing you to locate and book a vehicle at various points throughout the city. Using our app, you can check which vehicles are available and find the car park closest to your location.
Once the hire period has ended, you must return the car to the same car park where you collected it. This ensures that each vehicle has its own designated space with a charger and is available for the next user.
Furthermore, electric cars benefit from a 75 per cent discount on parking in all Blue and Green zones in Barcelona; please check the conditions in other local authorities. In these cases, you’ll need to collect a ticket from the parking meter or use the relevant app, depending on the zone.
If you’d like to check available car parks and find out where to locate available electric cars, visit the MEC car park map.
With this network of pick-up and drop-off points, it becomes a practical alternative for users and businesses with local vehicles.
How long does it take to charge an electric car?
The charging time required for an electric car depends on the vehicle model, its battery capacity and the type of charger used. Not all charging points have the same power output; a standard charge may take several hours, whilst a fast-charging system allows you to recharge in a short space of time – generally, in half an hour you can recharge the battery from 20% to 80%.
Users do not need to worry about fully charging the car every time they use one of our vehicles, but they should do check the battery level before setting off and plan their journey taking into account the available range.
MEC offers the ZUNDER charging service, one of the best and most extensive charging networks. You can access the ZUNDER network via the MEC app, and locate and charge your electric car quickly and easily.
Why choose MEC electric carsharing in Barcelona and other cities?
MEC electric carsharing is an alternative designed for those looking for a flexible way to get around, tailored to the needs of each user or business.
MEC’s carsharing service represents a new approach to sustainable mobility, based on access to a vehicle without the need to own it, thereby saving on maintenance costs and contributing to sustainable mobility on both urban and inter-city journeys.
