The contribution of carsharing to low carbon mobility: Complementarity and substitution with other modes

This paper analyses both the attributes of carsharing transport modes (station-based and free-floating) and their relationship with other transport modes. Users' and stakeholders’ perspectives are synthesized from in-depth interviews in Spain. The elicitation of the comparative advantages of the two carsharing modes with respect to public transport and private vehicles helps identifying factors such as availability of parking, road pricing and convenience that drive the complementary and substitution property of carsharing with other transport modes. Interviews show the limited complementarity of carsharing with public transport, as well as the limited substitutability with private vehicles. Potential policy instruments to make carsharing coexist with public transport are discussed. •This study highlights the limited complementarity and substitution of carsharing with public transport and private vehicles.•The study is based on in-depth interviews with users and stakeholders of free-floating and station-based carsharing.•Convenience in use and economic factors play an important role in motivating carsharing use.•Being considered affordable and cheap, carsharing incurs in the risk of competing with public transport.•Parking and road pricing and policies connecting carsharing and public transport are necessary to improve complementarity.