Drivy, Europe’s largest car rental marketplace, launches in London and eyes further UK expansion in 2018

14th November 2017 Drivy, Europe’s largest car rental marketplace with 1.5 million users, is strengthening its European expansion with the announcement that it is launching in London today, with plans to roll out the service to all major UK cities in 2018. The startup which is headquartered in Paris, raised €31M last year in order to accelerate its global expansion and consolidate its position as Europe's largest integrated car rental platform. This brings Drivy's European footprint to six countries: France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Belgium and the UK.

Drivy is a digital platform that allows anyone to list a private car or a small fleet, and hire it out to people who live nearby. By offering proximity-based care rental, with no agency and a fully mobile experience, Drivy offers the freedom and flexibility of using a car, at a fraction of the cost of ownership.

In an unprecedented move, Drivy is sending a clear signal of confidence to car owners by guaranteeing a minimum monthly income of £250 for listing a car, in certain inner London boroughs for at least 17 days per month, whether or not it is rented. Indeed, Drivy’s value proposition has already convinced dozens of Londoners, whether private or professional, to rent their car through the platform. Less than a week after the pre-opening of the marketplace to local car owners, more than 100 private cars are already available on Drivy in London, in addition to 30 other cars that are equipped with the company’s exclusive Drivy Open technology, which enables people to open cars with their smartphones and carry out self-service rentals.

Commenting on the announcement, Paulin Dementhon, Founder and CEO of Drivy said:

"We're looking forward to replicating Drivy's success in London with the same win-win proposition that has fuelled our growth in other cities: helping car owners to earn money from their vehicle by renting it out when they are not using it, and offering drivers the possibility to rent a car quickly, in proximity to themselves and at the right price.

Londoners have already embraced shared mobility, whether it's car clubs, ride sharing or bike rental schemes and Drivy is an important part of that mobility ecosystem. It's an innovative solution that makes people's daily lives easier while contributing positively to urban sustainability. As smart technology increases the use of shared mobility services, we are beginning to see a cultural shift away from car ownership towards access and this is propelling the demand for solutions like Drivy in London and elsewhere."

As well as encouraging private car owners to list their vehicle on the platform, Drivy is empowering entrepreneurs to start a business of next generation car rental, as well as helping local car dealers and independent car hire companies to develop new revenue streams. The company is aiming to build an unrivalled network of cars on its platform in order to fulfil its long-term ambition of having a car available to rent at every street corner.

Since its launch in 2010, Drivy has experienced year-on-year growth of more than 100% through constant innovation and expansion. In addition to offering users a fully mobile experience, from booking a car to check-in and check-out, Drivy offers reassurance and peace of mind to car owners and renters by providing comprehensive insurance cover for the duration of the rental (protecting the owner’s no-claims bonus) through its insurance partner Allianz, and breakdown assistance through a bespoke partnership with the AA.

Drivy is targeting rapid growth in London before embarking on a nationwide expansion. The company employs 100 people in Paris, Berlin, Barcelona and London.

About Drivy Drivy is the leading car rental marketplace in Europe. The service allows its users to rent people’s cars within walking distance of home whenever they need one: whether it is to go away for a weekend, attend a business meeting or move house. The service includes comprehensive insurance coverage to ensure safe rentals. Drivy provides a fully mobile experience, from booking a car to check-in and check-out, and has recently launched Drivy Open, a technology which enables people to open cars with their smartphones and carry out self-service rentals. Created in 2010 in France by Paulin Dementhon, Drivy also operates in Germany, UK, Spain, Austria and Belgium with a total of 50,000 cars to rent and 1,500,000 users. Drivy’s ambition is to make car rental more convenient and efficient than personal car ownership.