IFCAR Car Sharing

​

One year ago, we set up a local car-sharing initiative called IFCAR. Neighbours made their cars available to registered and approved drivers to borrow for an hourly fee when the cars weren’t being used. It’s supported by a commercial firm called Hiyacar – known as ‘airbnb for cars’ – but only people who live in Iffley Fields can borrow the cars. Hiyacar sort out the insurance, the scheduling (via their app) and checking and verifying all the registered drivers.

The idea was to make it easier for people living locally to not own their own car, if they could always find another one available, and through doing that to reduce climate emissions and the space cars take up on our streets – freeing up space for people, emergency vehicle access and hopefully eventually trees and nice spaces. It also splits the cost of car ownership (average £3-4k per year) as people that use a car infrequently won’t need to own one but can pay their neighbour a fee to borrow theirs.

One year in, it’s going well. We’ve got 7 cars, and 20 registered drivers (although many have only borrowed once) and there’s not been any problems. Many of the drivers are also registered with Co-wheels which is great – the idea is to make more very local cars available, not to get them used really frequently. Other people have copied the idea and launched similar community car-shares in other locations including Florence Park, Oatlands, Cumnor and Kennington.

However, we’re keen to expand. 7 cars is really decent, but it doesn’t quite guarantee there will be one available if someone needs one last minute to drive to another city overnight. I’d love to see more cars (especially EVs, as people always ask about them) and a few more drivers. Your car has to be less than 15 years old, and to borrow one you have to be age 23-75.

We’ve set up a website with more info on it, www.shareourcars.com, or you can email me directly if you have any questions about anything at all on shareourcars@gmail.com 

Do feel free to message me if you’d like to get involved or know more. 

Emily Kerr.