Background: Scouter is a medium-sized company that has been in existence since 2011 and offers car sharing in seven cities. The company's main advertising message is simplicity, transparency and environmental friendliness. In 2017 the company significantly expanded its fleet and stations. Incidentally, the most bookings per user at that time were in Bonn.

How does it work? The cars can be booked free of charge after a one-time registration on the homepage, via App or by phone. If you make a booking on the phone, it costs 1.50 euros. You pay for the amount of time you booked, fuel is included. The price per kilometer is added.

How much does it cost? Between 7 a.m. and midnight the hourly rates are one to four euros depending on the vehicle class, and from midnight to seven in the morning it is 50 cents for each hour. The weekly prices range from 100 to 200 euros. The flat rate per kilometer is 32 cents per kilometer up to 100 kilometers and 25 cents per kilometer after that. There is a six-month introductory phase during which the monthly rate is waived. After that it is normally 5 euros. There are also discounts for students, families and those who have public transport passes or a Bahncard.

Background: StattAuto is the German car sharing pioneer and emerged from the environmental movement of the 1980s. Even today, the company feels committed to an ecological guiding principle. StattAuto is in Bonn and Detmold.

How does it work? StattAuto vehicles can be reserved by phone, online or via App and booked by the hour, day or week. The vehicles are parked in reserved parking spaces and can be opened with a personal key or card.

What does it cost? The registration fee is 30 euros, but is waived for students. The basic annual fee is between 24 and 120 euros. Security packages are added if necessary. There are starter, basic, business and student tariffs. In the basic tariff a car costs 1.50 to 3 euros per hour or 20 to 33 euros per day and 119 to 195 euros per week, depending on the class. There is also a flat rate per kilometer. An e-mobile is available for one euro per hour and 19 euros per day.

What is offered in Bonn? In Bonn and the region, and other locations including Siegburg, StattAuto has a total of 18 stations. There are four classes of vehicles, from small cars to vans.

Background: The company Cambio was founded in 2000 as a merger of the car sharing companies "StadtteilAuto Aachen", "StadtAuto Bremen" and "StattAuto Köln". As a holding company, it supplies local providers with the necessary services for operating car sharing in a franchise-like environment. Cambio is present in 28 German and 49 Belgian cities with more than 1,100 stations. More than 129,000 customers are served by more than 3,200 vehicles.

How does it work? The booking is made by phone, via the website or the App. The vehicles are parked in reserved parking spaces. The customer gets the key with the help of a card and a PIN code.

What does it cost? The registration fee is 30 euros. There are the tariffs Campus, Basis, Start, Active and Comfort. Depending on the tariff, the monthly basic fee varies; the Campus and Basic tariffs have no monthly fees. The time rates have four different classes from 1.10 Euro (XS) to 4.90 euros (L). Per day the prices vary between 21 and 49 euros, per week between 147 and 343 euros. The kilometer price is added in each case. Owners of a VRS-eTicket receive discounts.

Background: Flinkster is the car-sharing service of Deutsche Bahn. In more than 400 German cities, the network, which works with more than 20 partners, has more than 4,500 vehicles at more than 2,500 stations.

How does it work? After registration and driver's license verification, Flinkster vehicles in the vicinity can be booked via web, app or hotline. The vehicle is opened by smartphone or customer card, the vehicle key is in the glove compartment.

What does it cost? Registration is free of charge for Bahncard customers. Otherwise it costs 9 euros. The customer card costs 5 euros, the driving license test in the shop 20 euros, by video it is free. The hourly rate from 10 pm to 8 am is 1.50 euros, from 8 am to 10 pm 2.30 euros. The daily price is 39 euros, from the second day 29 euros. The consumption flat rate for fuel or electricity is 18 cents per kilometer.

What is offered in Bonn and the region? There are 23 Flinkster stations in Bonn, two in Siegburg, one in Hennef, five in Troisdorf and one in Niederkassel.

SnappCar

Background: At the end of 2017, the Dutch company SnappCar entered the German market by acquiring one of the largest private car sharing platforms in Germany, tamyca. SnappCar has set itself the goal of reducing the number of cars in Europe by five million by 2022. The company sees itself as "Airbnb for cars".

How does it work? With the so-called SnappForm, car rental can be handled completely digitally. Every booking is fully insured.

What does it cost? The owner charges an amount per day for his or her car. Included are free kilometers per day, which the lessor determines. In addition, the fuel must be paid for. As well, there are the costs for insurance and the service fee to SnappCar.

What is offered in Bonn? Currently 18 cars are offered in Bonn. Among them are also several vans.

Getaround

Background: Getaround took over Drivy in 2019. The idea to found Drivy came from Paulin Dementhon from Marseille in France in 2010. In his neighborhood, three families shared a car and the associated costs using an Excel spreadsheet. Dementhon found this only logical in view of the crowded roadsides of his city and founded the platform for private car sharing. According to the company, 50,000 cars and 2.5 million users from seven countries are registered on Getaround.

How does it work? After a free registration on the homepage, Getaround allows you to either rent cars from the area or offer your own car. Payment is made online, and the car can be opened via smartphone using a special technology if the owner participates.

What does it cost? The prices per hour for a car vary. In Bonn, cars are currently offered from five euros per hour.

What is offered in Bonn? In Bonn users can currently access 39 cars.

Background: Turo was founded in San Francisco in 2009. Today cars are offered in more than 5,500 cities, including 850 different car brands/models.

How does it work? After registration and authorization, one can search for the right car in the area and book it. Some cars can be booked immediately, others take up to eight hours to be confirmed or denied. A meeting point for handing over the keys is arranged with the renter, or the owner will bring the car to the location of your choice. At the end, the car has to be refueled and brought to an agreed place of return.

What does it cost? Each lessor determines the price for which he rents his car by the hour or by the day. For example, a Skoda Superb in Bonn is offered for 27 euros per day including 1500 kilometers of driving. On top of that there are fees, for example for insurance, extras or, if necessary, for the owner to bring the car to the renter.

What is offered in Bonn? Turo does not give an exact number of cars that are registered in Bonn, because it varies weekly. The offer in Bonn is diverse and includes "practical" vehicles such as a VW Polo as well as luxury models like the Tesla S.

Orig. text: Anna Maria Beekes
Translation: ck