Zipcar competitor Co Wheels expands into London – Pricing and details
Co Wheels has launched its first London on-street locations in Wandsworth with MG3 Hybrid vehicles, moving into the capital after Zipcar wound down UK operations at the end of 2025.
Zipcar’s withdrawal left 650,000 London members without an alternative, and Co Wheels had previously identified London as the market it most wanted to enter but could not make viable.
Rising costs from parking permits and on-street bay fees, electricity, insurance and congestion charges had prevented Co Wheels from expanding into London before Zipcar’s exit.
The operator said it reviewed that position once the market opened up, and the Wandsworth launch is the result.
Cars are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, bookable entirely through the Co Wheels app with no key collection required.
How much it costs
London is the most expensive location on the Co Wheels network.
The London rate for an Everyday vehicle is £8.50 per hour or £60 per day, with mileage charged at 24p per mile for petrol and hybrid vehicles.
That compares to £7.50 per hour and £50 per day in most other English cities, and as low as £4.95 per hour in Glasgow.
The rates above apply to the Standard membership plan. The Standard plan carries a £5 monthly fee with no joining fee, and gives access to the lowest hourly rates.
Members who pay annually spend £50 per year instead. The Basic plan has no monthly fee but a £10 joining fee, and hourly rates start from £7.45.
The Young Driver plan, for under-22s, costs £7 per month plus a £10 joining fee, with hourly rates from £7.95.
| Plan | Monthly fee | Joining fee | London hourly rate | London day rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Free | £10 | Higher rate applies | Higher rate applies | For occasional users |
| Standard | £5 | None | £8.50 | £60 | Best value for regular use; annual option £50/yr |
| Young Driver | £7 | £10 | Higher rate applies | Higher rate applies | Under-22s only |
All plans include insurance, with mileage charged separately at 24p per mile for petrol and hybrid vehicles and 14p per mile for electric vehicles. There are no booking fees.
The hire rate covers fuel, servicing, MOT, road tax, breakdown cover and cleaning, costs that fall entirely on private car owners.
An ongoing policy problem
Co Wheels is actively pressing policymakers for structural change so that companies like it can continue to operate.
The company argues that fairer permit pricing and lower congestion zone pricing are necessary starting points if car-sharing is to reach its full potential and if London is to support multiple operators offering real choice for residents.
Without that, the sector risks the same single-operator fragility that left 650,000 Zipcar members stranded overnight.
Co Wheels argues that well-managed car-sharing delivers reduced congestion, lower emissions and fewer vehicles on streets, and has called on London’s local authorities to create an environment that allows operators to set up and grow.
The Wandsworth launch currently offers only the Everyday category of vehicle, limiting options compared to Co Wheels locations outside the capital where City, Family and Van tiers are also available.
