Karshare Blog

Planning a UK staycation this year and want to make it as sustainable as possible? There are several things you can do to reduce your environmental impact. From choosing eco-friendly accommodation, such as locally-owned BnBs that use local suppliers to making sustainable travel choices, we highlight our top four tips for a sustainable UK staycation. By following these tips, you can help make your staycation one that's not only happy for yourself, but happy for the planet too.

Car rental insurance can get confusing at times. Luckily with Karshare, there's no need to faff about with sorting out your insurance - it's included in every rental price! We don't add these costs on at the end, but instead include the third party insurance cost in the total price you see when booking your rental car. Read on to find out more about how it works.

Whether it’s for holidays, work, or any other reason, car hire is a great solution for short-term transportation needs, but it can also be eye-wateringly expensive! Let's take a closer look at why car hire has traditionally been so expensive, and how platforms like Karshare are changing the game!

Simone from East London has been sharing her Vauxhall Mokka with Karshare since July 2022, earning over £2,700 so far! The money has helped her to revamp her home office and gift £1000 to her son for his 21st birthday. Read on to see the key advice that Simone would give to anyone thinking of sharing their car and find out how her time with Karshare has been so far.

Car rental, car sharing, and car clubs are all ways for individuals to access vehicles for short-term use, and each option has its own unique characteristics, benefits, and drawbacks. Here’s a quick and easy guide to help clear up some of the confusion and find the rental option that’s right for you…

Although cities are fun with lots to do all year round, there's nothing like getting away from the hustle and bustle, especially when you couple it with Valentine’s pressure. Valentine’s Day has become a very commercialised holiday that can come with guilt tripping into spending on new products. In fact, did you know that an extra nine million kilograms of CO2 are produced due to Valentine’s waste? So why not focus on spending quality time with your loved ones instead for Valentine's day, which can easily be achieved without the additional waste by taking your partner (or friends!) on a UK getaway. If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are five road trip destinations to check out this Valentine’s Day.

Karshare is changing the way we access and rent cars. Forget the long queues at the kiosk, the restricted pick up and drop off times and the clunky key handovers. You can instantly book and rent hundreds of cars being shared using the Karshare app. On the day of your rental, you won't need anything more than a smartphone with the Karshare app installed, and a smile on your face for identity verification. Read more to see a breakdown of everything you need to rent a care with Karshare in the UK.

More rail strikes are happening today and tomorrow, and there’s word that train strikes could continue for months more according to the boss of Britain’s largest rail union. If you rely on the train to get around, this can be an unfortunate inconvenience, which is why we’ve listed out some alternate ways to get around during the rail strikes for those travelling far. From coaches to car sharing, take a look at the different options available to you and read about their pros and cons.

From the £1.5 million pounds put back into owner's pockets, to the 2.4 million miles driven in shared cars, we take a look back at some key stats from the year 2022.

Monday 28th November marks the start of Bristol's Clean Air Zone (CAZ)! CAZs are put in place to improve air quality by reducing the pollution caused by older vehicles. Setting a £9 daily charge for vehicles that aren’t CAZ compliant is a way to encourage Bristolian car owners to either ditch their car, or upgrade to a lower emission vehicle.Bristol City Council estimates that the introduction of the zone will reduce the traffic travelling into the city by approximately 1,500 vehicles per day - helping to ease congestion as well as reducing air pollution.

Black Friday is a day (sometimes weeks) in November that encourages overconsumption, overproduction and overspending through discounts and sales. And let's be honest.. we’re over it! According to Statista, UK consumers are estimated to spend a total of £8.71 billion over the course of the Black Friday weekend this year. Identified by Which?, only 1 in 7 deals this Black Friday are considered to be genuine discounts, with retailers marking up their prices days before the Black Friday to orchestrate bigger savings. So with billions of pounds being unnecessarily spent this weekend, we’re drawing attention to the reasons why it’s best to avoid the frenzy and make sustainable switches for Green Friday instead.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are on the rise - they now hold a 14% share of the UK’s new car market and more than 40% of models are now available as plug-ins. The transition to electric vehicles is key to helping us meet net zero targets, which is why in 2030 there’ll be a ban on selling new petrol or diesel cars within the UK. With electric vehicles becoming the norm in the future, we’ve highlighted some key things worth knowing below.

Spooky season has arrived, but with the way that things are at the moment, there’s enough going on already to be afraid of. This is why we’re highlighting a few day trip ideas that aren’t going to give you or your bank account a fright! If you find yourself looking for ways to keep the kids entertained this half term, or you’ve got a day spare and are after some inspiration, we’ve picked four wholesome autumnal activities for you to sink your fangs into.

Currently, 9 in 10 adults in Great Britain have reported that their cost of living has increased. Which is why it’s no surprise that many of us are looking for ways to cut costs and save money where we can. In fact, 42% of us have already started to cut back on non-essential car journeys to save on costs - so why not take it a step further and completely cut out the costs of owning a car? With the current annual cost of running a car sitting at £3,500, we look at the possibility of giving up car ownership to save costs and switching to renting instead.

Karshare’s vision is to create a world where we never have more cars than we need. This is why we’re advocates for Car Free Day, a day on 22nd September that encourages people to go car free and a day that helps raise awareness of the wider importance of reducing car usage. Car sharing can enable you to give up ownership of a car and choose to rent one from your neighbours as and when you need instead. We took some time to chat to people who have decided to either get rid of their car, or have never owned a car themselves and their reasons for this.

Living in a city comes with many benefits - there’s a buzz of activity that continues from day into night, city's are often easier to get around with extensive public transport links, and they’re home to some of the country’s most major events, so you’re as close to the action as can be!However, living in an urban area unfortunately also means less access to large green areas. In fact, 70% of people who live in urban areas in towns and cities across England don’t have suitable access to quality green space. So if you’re feeling like escaping the city this weekend and are chasing some serenity in the great outdoors, we’ve got some road trip ideas for you.

Tired of the old school car rental experience where you’re met with long queues, unexpected costs, and often asked to drive a different car to the one you booked? We’re tired too. It’s a clunky approach and often comes with unnecessary stress. Karshare takes away those frustrations and provides a quick and easy rental solution by renting a car from your neighbour via the Karshare app. Not only is renting from someone in your community the most environmentally friendly form of car rental but there are also other key benefits when choosing Karshare over traditional car hire companies. Here are just a few of the reasons why renting a car from your neighbour is the way forward - let’s go!

John has been sharing his Land Rover Range Rover Evoque in Coventry with Karshare for over a year now. In this case study, we look at how car sharing fits around John and his wife's weekly schedule and find out what the past year on the platform has been like for John so far. “I’ve been really happy with it, otherwise I wouldn’t have kept sharing my car for the past year!”

Karshare is the only peer-to-peer car sharing platform whose fleet is 100% owned by individuals in the community. We don’t put our own cars on the road and every vehicle is owned by someone choosing to share their car with others. This is why we care a lot about building a community of responsible renters, providing peace of mind to the champions sharing their cars. Interested in the steps we take to make sure the cars are treated with respect and driven responsibly? From driver telematics to rewarding great driving, we’re going to run you through the features we have in place to help build a trusted community of renters.

From 28th July Birmingham plays host to 6,500 competing athletes representing 72 nations and territories. Over 11 days of competition in excess of one million people will travel to and from 15 competition venues and witness this festival of international sport unfold. Keeping the city moving for visitors and residents alike has been a high priority topic in the planning for what is the largest event ever to be held in Birmingham. The event aims to create a carbon neutral legacy and their key focus on reducing the event’s carbon footprint shows in their transport plans around the city. We take a look at some of the specific initiatives that will be active over the competition days...

FC Battersea is a grassroots football team proudly sponsored by Karshare and New Level Construction. Marsha de Cordova MP is celebrating the success of local grassroots football team FC Battersea with a reception in Parliament. The MP for Battersea is hosting a reception for FC Battersea to celebrate their young players’ outstanding 2021-22 season.

Buying a new car outright with cash, a loan or on hire purchase is a luxury that few can afford. On top of that, with the price of used cars soaring by 30-40% in the last two years, it’s not the best time to be buying a used car either. This is why Sahamat decided to join Karshare’s innovative Lease and Share scheme. “I wanted a no deposit monthly payment plan and after doing a bit of research I decided that the best way to do it was by a lease. “I definitely would recommend Karshare to people because it makes so much sense. I found the fact that Karshare does its own Lease and Share scheme and has a partnership with Leasys reassuring and safe, because with a lot of leasing companies on PCH as it’s not your own car you might not be allowed to rent it out.”

Renting a van from your community can help you save valuable time and money while you move house - plus, it’s better for the environment than renting through traditional car hire companies. We break down the benefits of renting a large car or a van for the day to help you move all your belongings from A to B!

Sometimes a city break or a long weekend away can leave you feeling more exhausted than you were before you left. Trying to experience as much as possible in a short amount of time while ticking attractions off the list can result in little rest and lead to ‘tourist burnout’. This is why some have been embracing a different way of holidaying - slow travel.

Karshare’s keyless technology has revolutionised peer to peer car sharing by enabling car owners to rent out their cars without needing to be present. For renters, Karshare is a convenient way to instantly book and access nearby cars - no more queues at collection counters or picking up cars at inconvenient times. But how does this work? Today we’re running through the installation process so you can know what to expect when putting your car on the Karshare platform.

As the cost to fill up a tank of petrol has now hit £100, we’ve listed out a few changes you can make to reduce your fuel consumption and drive efficiently. If you’re looking to make back the money spent on fuel, car sharing is a great way to balance out the costs, as renting your car out to others creates additional income that can be kept aside for refill day! For longer term solutions, selling your car or switching to an electric vehicle is much more sustainable as this will remove the need for fuel all together.

The Queen’s love story with cars has lasted even longer than her 70 year reign.From Bentleys to the Queen Mobile, Her Majesty really has a garage to beenvious of. With the Jubilee weekend drawing nearer, today we’re taking a lookat the highlights of a car collection that rivals even our collective Karshare communities’and is famous around the world.

Making ends meet while studying at University can be a challenge, and finding time to juggle studying and working a part time job isn’t the easiest thing to do. There’s even more of a cost for those who choose to bring their car to University - parking, fuel, road tax and insurance can all add up! However, this isn’t a problem for Errikos, a 22 year old student at University of Bristol studying International Business Management. By sharing his car with Karshare, he’s not only covered the cost of his car, but has turned his relatively idle asset into additional income to support him throughout University too.

Based in Birmingham, Salman works as a Compliance Officer for HMRC and like many others found himself working from home in 2020. With his Toyota Corolla being sat outside in a prime location that is only a 5 minute drive to the city centre and other local attractions, Salman was told about Karshare by a good friend of his. “I will forever be grateful for him showing me this amazing car sharing concept. I initially signed up to Karshare with some hesitation, but the team from Birmingham, Mo and Adam, put my mind to ease and the team at Karshare are exceptional.”

Vicki and Ali live in an apartment complex in Manchester city centre, working in Tech and Science respectively. When they knew they'd be relocating to Manchester city centre, they “were debating whether to keep the car or not when looking at places to live.” Reluctant to say goodbye to their Toyota Yaris Hybrid, they signed up to Karshare and are now earning enough to cover the costs of keeping their carin the city and then some!

9 in 10 adults have reported an increase in their cost of living over the past month. This is no surprise, with household energy bills going up by 54%, inflation soaring to the highest it’s been in 30 years at 7% and fuel prices rocketing. Are you finding it more difficult to keep on top of your monthly outgoings? You’re not alone. Almost 1 in 4 said that they found it difficult to pay their monthly household bills since the increase. Hear from some Karshare owners who are combatting the rising prices by renting their car out to their community.

It’s one of our core values at Karshare to do more with less, and our #KarshareKudos posts this month featured two groups working to make this possible.

The theme for this year’s Earth Day is to invest in our planet. This might mean making changes as an individual, calling for more action from organisations and governments, or simply raising awareness and educating others in general about the importance of protecting our planet.Investing in our planet isn’t something to do just once a year - it requires change. If you feel overwhelmed by the mission of tackling the climate crisis, we’ve listed out 5 simple changes that you can make today, that'll hopefully last for longer than just a day.

The team at Karshare recently took a day off work to volunteer their time at Phoenix Community Farm in White City. One of Karshare’s core values is to do more with less, which is why we saw our quarterly team day as an opportunity to not only get together, but to help out a local community initiative too. From rebuilding beehive fences, to ploughing and deweeding, find out how we got on!

Bank holiday weekend! Four days, a hundred possibilities. The weather is getting warmer, and Spring is here, inspiring many to get back outside. So, we’ve come up with a list of ways you can reconnect with nature this bank holiday weekend.

Here at Karshare we think it's important to showcase inspiring eco initiatives and community champions. Our #KarshareKudos series focuses on individuals and organisations who are helping others make steps towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Today we’re bringing you a round up of the people we gave kudos to this March.

Many of us are feeling the pressure with price spikes from every angle, so what can you do to plan ahead and alleviate some of the financial stress? We’ve rounded up some tips from a few of our favourite creators who have shared some simple but effective suggestions for keeping track of your money and combating the price rises.

When you first think of peer-to-peer car sharing you might not think of it as a ticket out of your day job, but for Phil that’s exactly what he chose to do! Once the potential of car sharing from a financial aspect became clear, he began to invest in purchasing more cars in order to car share. After a while, Phil started to face issues with the car sharing provider he was using at the time. “Costs were rising for both renters and owners which was becoming commercially unviable as a host.” Read on to find out why he chose to switch to Karshare.

Karshare rewards great drivers with Kudos Credits which can be used for discounts on future rentals. We monitor each renter's driving behaviour through driver telematics and score their driving style based on various factors. If they achieve a high driving score, Kudos Credits will be automatically added to their account and applied at the checkout for their next rental! Karshare is the only car sharing platform to incentivise great driving. Read on to find out more.

Even in the UK, the weather can get quite extreme sometimes and being caught on the roads in the midst of a storm is not an ideal situation. We've highlighted some key tips on getting from A to B safely when the road becomes a riskier place to drive. From general driving tips, to route navigation, have a read to find out how best to prepare for heavy rain and strong winds.

We know that not every Valentine’s day is full of love, and sometimes all you want is to get in your feels and let the emotions out! Everyone has a song which tugs at their heart strings and we’ve rounded up some of the Karshare team’s songs that resonate with them.So if you’re going through some heartbreak today, it’s time to turn up the speakers and revel in the pain with our heartbreak playlist.

Valentine's Day is almost upon us and the celebration of love also marks the start of the half term break. So what better time to rent a Karshare car and head out on a romantic break with your loved one? If you’re feeling more like a getaway with friends, then our suggestions can also be experienced without a partner too! Read on to see our top picks from gazing at the night sky to visiting sustainable wineries!

Like many others when Ant and Beth bought a new car for commuting to work, they were unaware of how their daily need for a car was about to be shaken up by lockdown. “We ideally wanted to get an electric car, but because we live in a terrace house we couldn’t get some form of electric charging point. So hybrid was the best option for us really! Beth was just starting a new job and needed the car to drive around the country, but then our jobs changed over lockdown and we weren’t really using the car an awful lot.” Read on to find out what they think of car sharing so far...

The days are getting longer and the daffodils are sprouting. There’s a hint of Spring in the air as we finally emerge from January. What better way to spend the upcoming half term break than a holiday enjoying the beauty that our country has to offer outdoors? We’ve come up with some of the best UK holiday destinations for getting active this half term. From kayaking to rock climbing - we’ve got ideas for all levels. Whether you want to upgrade to a bigger car to fit in the bikes and a tent, or just to keep the kids happy on a longer trip, Karshare has the perfect car to rent for your half term holiday. 

At Karshare we understand the importance of not only sharing cars, but the importance of switching shorter car journeys for alternate modes of transport as well. Our key mission is to help create a world where we never have more cars than we need, and it’s because of this that we’re very proud to be partnering with Voi in Bristol. Voi provide shared e-scooters and e-bikes to cities across Europe where residents can easily rent these using the Voi app. They partner with cities and communities to champion a transition towards shared, multimodal and zero-emission mobility, which is where Karshare comes in.

Karshare's Mobility and Partnerships Director, Graeme Banister, shares his thoughts on the importance of cutting out short car journeys and reducing car usage. He highlights some key transport stats which outline how many cars are not being utilised and could therefore be shared. Will 2022 be the year that decarbonisation is demysitified?

The short answer, yes! You can easily rent a car on Karshare using a debit or credit card. In fact, using a debit or credit card is the only way you can pay for car rentals at Karshare. In order to set this up you just need to add your preferred payment details to your account. If you haven’t yet created an account you can create one in a couple of minutes. Once you’ve added your debit or credit card details, you’ll be ready to pay for rentals!

2021 was a year where the conversation around climate change increased amongst many. The record-breaking floods, wildfires and even the sea on fire this year has put climate change at the forefront of many people’s conversations. Nations across the world are starting to take action and with COP26 this year regularly making headline news, the general public awareness of the subject matter has continued to grow. We want to encourage the shift to sharing in 2022, so we'll be breaking down what the sharing economy is and how it can help, while recommending a few companies that are championing the sharing mindset!

We're shining the spotlight on our Community Managers today and are finding out what they like to get up to at Christmas. This team is responsible for getting car owners set up on the platform and teaching them everything they need to know about car sharing. So if you've got a car on Karshare, you'll likely already know your local Community Manager pretty well!

It's nice to escape the hustle and the bustle of the city life now and then, which is why we think it's worth a drive out of the city. With Christmas fast approaching, we wanted to share some of our favourite activities that take place just outside of the cities we live in. We're hoping this gives you some inspiration for your next rental, as these places aren't quite easily accessible by public transport and may require a car. So let's kick off the series with our recommendations for those looking to escape London for the day.

Sustainable transport is a mode of travel that has a minimal effect on the environment and the climate. As more sustainable modes of transport are introduced and people's behaviour towards transport is shifting, there's room for the impact of transport on the climate to be greatly reduced. We take a look at sustainable transport - what this actually means, how we can make transport more sustainable and why it's important.

As the nights are getting longer and the temperature is dropping, we want to make sure you're fully prepared for Winter. Are you currently sharing your car with others? That's great - the Christmas period is always a busy one, so you'll want to make sure everyone sharing your car is set up safely for their journey. To encourage people to return to your car the next time they rent, get your car ready for Winter and help all your rentals run smoothly.

As the nights are getting longer and the temperature is dropping, we want to make sure you're fully ready for renting a car over winter. We've created a renter's checklist to make sure your car rental goes as smoothly as possible, even if you do get caught out by some bad weather.

We want to make sharing your car with your community as easy and straightforward as possible, which is why we're constantly updating our product and always taking on board user feedback. Because of this, we're proud to announce that our new earnings and payouts section is now live! Have a read to find out more about the new product update and what this means for those with vehicles on the platform.

One of the questions that gets asked frequently with new renters here at Karshare is how old drivers have to be to rent a car on our platform. We don't charge a young renters fee for those aged between 21-25, so the rental cost for younger renters is the same as for everyone else! Read on to find out more and to hear from Holly who initally signed up to Karshare because of this reason.

No stranger to the sharing economy, when Maimuna started working from home she saw an opportunity to rent out her car and share it with her local community. Have a read to see how she's found the experience since joining Karshare and how she became the first amongst friends to begin renting her car out.

Did you know that the 63 largest cities and towns in the UK generate almost half of the UK’s carbon emissions? London alone makes up 11% of this! Our cities are incredible places, but they also need the right infrastructure in place to make sure they’re as green as they can be. We take a look at how car sharing ultimately reduces the number of cars on roads, creating more space for green areas and better active travel infrastructures.

According to the Climate Change Committee, active travel is an important factor to help reduce the UK’s travel-related carbon emissions and in working towards our bold – but necessary – greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets. If you’re not familiar with the term ‘active travel’, it simply refers to journeys made through physical activity such as walking or cycling, instead of using a car or public transport. We take a look at how sharing cars can ultimately encourage active travel. Read on to find out more.

As part of our COP26 article series, we are focussing on the different environmental benefits of car sharing. To kick this off, we take a look at the various ways that car sharing reduces carbon emissions. From enabling users to 'car shed', to ultimately leading to less cars needing to be manufactured, have a read to find out how car sharing can help reduce carbon emissions.

Alan Cleaver and his wife are both Bristol residents who, like many others, are now both working from home. This shift in day-to-day life meant that their secondary car became slightly redundant as it was no longer needed for the daily commute. Sharing their car on Karshare enabled them to pay off the annual cost of their car within just two months. Read on to find out more.

Are you a Leeds resident and interested in sharing your car with Karshare? Well we have some good news for you, as Leeds City Council are offering free KarshareGo technology installations to the first 10 Leeds residents who join Karshare with their vehicle! KarshareGo (worth £195) is the kit that enables all rentals to be 100% contactless and managed via the Karshare app.

It can get a bit confusing at times, but in short, these are all different ways of describing an area in a city or town that has certain restrictions in place to help tackle air pollution. But what does this all mean? And is it only Londoners who have to take ULEZ compliant cars into consideration? Read more to find out what ULEZ, LEZ and CAZ means for those across the UK.

Each year, World Car Free Day is celebrated globally on the 22nd September, and it’s definitely an event that Karshare is here to support. The day aims to reduce the number of cars on streets, which is exactly what we’re all about, as we aim to create a world where we never have more cars than we need. Read here to find out some of the key benefits of reducing your car usage, as well as ways you can reduce your car usage too.

You may see posts around today about World Ozone Day, so we’ve decided to break down the key things you need to know about today in a quick 3 minute read.‍ We look at what it is, how The Montreal Protocol has made a difference and what this year's theme of 'Keeping us, our food and vaccines cool' means.

Did you know that Karshare is up to 80% cheaper than traditional car rental? It’s possible to find a car rental as cheap as £30 a day on the Karshare app. We take a look at the different factors that can affect the cost of renting a car, such as city and car type.

You may have heard that since September 1st, E10 fuel is being rolled out as the standard unleaded petrol sold at forecourts across Britain. The change to E10 petrol is said to have baffled a quarter of motorists, so we’re here to keep it simple and break it down for you, because petrol shouldn’t be complicated.

In 2014, I was in my 9th year of leading a well-established, 52 year-old and highly successful, private equity backed travel management company. Quite a mouthful. The business managed the travel of most lawyers in the UK, a good proportion of lawyers from the USA, and many other professional service individuals from the insurance and specialist finance sectors. The travel requirements were pretty standard. Business class, chauffeur to and from airport, and a 5* hotel accommodation – the Four Seasons in New York was especially popular. But in 2014 something fundamentally changed.

As we continue to grow our business and share the benefits of car sharing with more and more people, we want to find ways of taking you behind the scenes to show you what life at Karshare is really like. This week, we’re here to tell you about our recent testimonial video shoot that took place (on a very, very rainy day) in Bristol a few weeks ago. As we’ve launched in more and more areas across the country, we have learned that ‘social proof’ is key to reaching new audiences.

The term ‘carbon footprint’ refers to the total amount of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere as a result of someone’s actions. Greenhouse gases are those responsible for the greenhouse effect, or warming of the Earth’s surface, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Carbon footprints are usually measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. There are a lot of actions that can cause greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere, including use of fossil fuels, deforestation and inefficient waste management.

Another week, another 20 Questions. Our Bristol Community Support Executive Adam Chapman joined the Karshare family not too long ago and has already helped countless new car owners and renters make the most of the Karshare platform. Today you get to go behind the scenes and meet him.

Car sharing enables car owners to safely rent out their vehicles to nearby renters in exchange for money. Think of it like an Airbnb for cars. It’s a great way to make your car work for you whenever it’s not in use. By renting out your car or van, you can help members of your community get to where they need to be. Car sharing also helps reduce CO2 emissions by decreasing the demand for more cars on our roads. With driver telematics to support safer driving and contactless car collection, renting out your car has never been easier.

Today marks the beginning of Plastic Free July, a global movement that inspires millions of people to be a part of the solution against plastic pollution. Everyone has the power to make small changes in their lives with big impacts, so why not spend some time this month thinking about how you too can make a difference?

“If I'd learnt one thing from travelling, it was that the way to get things done was to go ahead and do them. Don't talk about going to Borneo. Book a ticket, get a visa, pack a bag, and it just happens.”

If you rent a vehicle via the Karshare platform, you will have already completed DVLA checks and passed our eligibility requirements, indicating that you are a good driver. But unfortunately even the best drivers are sometimes faced with parking tickets, fines or speeding charges – so we’re going to take a look at what happens if you find yourself in one of these situations and how Karshare can help.

Let’s face it – June 21st may not be the all-inclusive holiday announcement we’ve been dreaming of. But that’s ok, there are plenty of incredible vacation destinations across the UK that are just a road trip away. It may not be the Cote d’Azur but with these 7 games to keep you entertained throughout your travels, you’ll be embracing that holiday spirit in no time. So leave your passports at home, folks – it’s road trip time.

Hi everyone, my name is Ben Collis and I’m the Community Manager for Karshare in Manchester. As a new Karshare employee, I figured it made sense for me to join the platform as a car owner – having first-hand experience of what it’s like to be a member of the car sharing community would help me answer any questions people may have and give me a greater understanding of how to get the most out of being on the platform. Like everyone who joins, I did consider what it would mean to not always have access to my car, but ultimately I knew that I didn’t use it every day – and the idea of some extra income was a welcome one, especially after the difficult year we’ve had.

With so many great things to do at any time of year, Manchester has a lot going for it. But even though you’ll never be bored in Manchester, that doesn’t mean you won’t want to venture out of the city occasionally, particularly now that staycations are possible again. Luckily, one of Manchester’s many excellent qualities is its proximity to all kinds of amazing places. Here are five top staycation spots, whether you want to stick within a short drive of the city or venture that little bit further out.

Our referrals feature is now live, which means: 💷 Great benefits for your family and friends, who come on board! 💰 Rewards for you as a Karshare member! 🌍 A greener planet! 🙌 More local community support!

Remote working isn’t going anywhere, so more and more people are adding their vehicles to Karshare to earn extra income whenever they are not in use. With staycations on the rise and summer vacation just around the corner, now is the perfect time to give your car listing a spring clean with our helpful tips and tricks to maximise those rentals.

Who’s ready to get out of the city for a fun day out this Bank Holiday weekend? With a whole 3 days off there’s more than enough time to spend an afternoon in Bath, explore Yatton, jet off to Somerset, and more. This week we’ve teamed up with Yuup to make planning your Bank Holiday adventure out of the city a breeze...

Meet Zoheil Khaleqi, Karshare's Quality Assurance & Release Manager. He's taken the time to answer 20 quick-fire questions, so you can learn more about Team Karshare and what makes us tick.

This Monday (17 May) saw the UK take its next big step in the move away from lockdown restrictions. Groups of up to 30 people are now allowed to meet outdoors, and the Rule of 6 is back in effect for indoor gatherings. More businesses were given the go-ahead to reopen, including the hospitality sector, entertainment venues, hotels and hostels and indoor exercise classes. With so many beloved places finally allowed to reopen, we have compiled a list of our favourite destinations and activities to make the most of beautiful Bristol under the new Covid guidelines.

Whilst we are working hard on delivering some of the amazing new features on our platform (yes, Referrals are coming very soon!), let me share with you a couple of great improvements we have recently made for you, our car owners. They have not made it to our public roadmap, but are still so beneficial that we decided to shout about them!

What a start to 2021. With the lockdown announced on the 4th January it was definitely a case for a cautious beginning. On the same day, however, Brian Pinker, 82, became the first person (outside trials) to receive the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. A much-needed boost for everyone, providing an important foundation of certainty and a route for things to get easier.

With international travel still looking uncertain in the coming months, you may be considering a staycation nearby or road trip to some of the most iconic destinations in the UK. From camping in Cornwall to hiking in the Scottish Highlands, If you’re staying on British soil this summer and are looking for the most sustainable way to get from A to B to C, then you’ve come to the right place.

Hilary is a Royal Mail postal worker living in St Pauls, Bristol. She has been renting out her Citroen Berlingo to members of her community with the help of Karshare. Hilary describes her vehicle as “neither a van nor a car” – a perfectly sized 5-seater that has been a handy mode of transport for her three children and her dog, Bruce. When she first got it, she envisioned herself “packing up the bikes and the family and going for weekends away” but since Covid, her plans have changed. “I don’t use my car for commuting", she told Karshare. "I cycle or walk instead, I get ASDA deliveries so I don’t need to go to the shops and I wouldn’t dream of using my car to drive into town. If I was faced with the choice today, I probably wouldn’t have bought a car – I would just rent one instead.”

Drive-in cinemas have grown in popularity in the UK over the last few years, with Covid-19 causing a massive boost in sales as people gravitated towards the outdoor events that still allowed them to maintain their personal space. And it looks like the trend isn’t going anywhere. We have rounded up some of the most exciting drive-in events coming to Bristol and beyond, so you can park up and sit back without having to leave your car!

If you come here often, you’ll have heard us talk about sustainability on numerous occasions – how it forms a key part of our purpose, how car sharing can be considered sustainable or how we are always looking to support sustainable businesses individuals and businesses across the UK. But what does that word ‘sustainable’ really mean? And how does it differ from ‘renewable’, especially when we are talking about energy?

Ian is a Software Tester living in Westbury Park who has been renting out his Ford C-Max with his partner Rachel as part of Karshare’s community car sharing scheme. He first used Karshare when it operated as Car and Away at Gatwick Airport. “It worked really well there and made me think about the fact that there’s always cars sitting around at airports – it makes way more sense to use those rather than a whole fleet of rental cars. Then I saw that Karshare had started operating in neighbourhoods during lockdown and got on board.”

Spring is finally here to remind us of new beginnings! I hope you are all enjoying the warming weather and the blossoming trees outside. What better season to hit the roads and go on an adventure? With life gradually opening back up again, there are so many opportunities out there! To honour the spirit of spring, I present to you (*drumroll*) the Karshare roadmap! This is our perpetual Work In Progress space, where you can find evolving, valuable information about our platform and where we are headed. It's our way of showing you what we're working on so you can be a part of the evolution of Karshare, every step of the way. Let me walk you through it (it's a roadmap, after all)...

It finally feels like the world is opening up again. From today, restrictions are easing to allow non-essential shops, salons, outdoor hospitality venues and gyms to reopen. The new rules also mean that self-contained accommodation like holiday cabins, Airbnbs or camping sites can open to allow for overnight stays – aka staycations! Lucky for you, dear reader, there’s no better place to safely enjoy the new regulations than Bristol, with its wealth of culture, shopping, eateries and stunning scenery.

We're back with another edition of "20 Questions with...", your chance to get to know Team Karshare in intimate detail, find out their hopes and dreams and learn more about what makes this company so special. Today's spotlight is on Sam Howard, our Engineer & Cloud Architect. Find out more about what makes him tick below.

2020 was a breakout year for electric vehicle uptake, with figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealing that one electric vehicle was registered every three minutes. This is fantastic news! Not only can we help our local environment by not polluting the air we breathe, but it can also be good for our wallets. You can fuel an average electric car for approximately 4p per mile, with no road tax to pay and quite a few government incentives. With new affordable models arriving in the UK and a wide variety of second-hand EVs available, switching to an electric vehicle has never been easier and cheaper!

After the year we have just been through, it will come as no surprise that UK residents are looking for new ways to generate income and navigate this uncertain world of work. According to the Office for National Statistics, the unemployment rate in January was at 5% – the highest figure in five years, with 1.7 million people unemployed. Since the start of the pandemic, Google searches for “easy ways to make money from home” have skyrocketed by 500% and more and more people are turning to freelance work and one-off gigs to stay afloat.

Transport for West Midlands has introduced a new service to their Mobility Credits Scheme, enabling Coventry locals to take part in peer-to-peer car sharing through Karshare. The Mobility Credits Scheme is an initiative to encourage people to scrap their old car in exchange for £3,000 of Mobility Credits to be used on public transport, e-scooters, bike hire, car rental and now peer-to-peer car sharing.

Well, it looks like international travel is off the cards for the foreseeable future. But fear not – the UK has a whole range of enviable destinations that can make for the perfect holiday, whether you’re looking for a tanning session at the beach or a gruelling hike up Snowdon. And the best bit is that you can get everything you need for the perfect staycation simply by unlocking your phone. We’ve put together our favourite apps to make your trip as smooth as possible. Ditch the passport and get yourself behind the wheel instead: adventure awaits.

Get to know Team Karshare in intimate detail, find out their hopes and dreams and learn more about what makes this company so special. Today we sat down with Vesela Dragusheva, our Senior Product Manager, to find out more about what makes her tick.

Hey there, I'm Vessy from the Product team at Karshare! I'll be running this new section of our blog, discussing all things product. Here you can read about all our new features, how and what we prioritise and of course hear stories of what's going on behind the scenes – where we have fun and deal with challenges at the same time. I'll walk you through the magic of how a customer insight translates into a new feature and so much more... so watch this space!

Biodiesel is a type of fuel made from vegetable oil, animal fat or waste cooking oil. The fuel is created by a process called transesterification, where the glycerin is separated from the oil to create methyl ester. Methyl ester is the chemical compound name for biodiesel. The majority of suitable oil for biodiesel comes from rapeseed, palm or soybean crops. Because of its source, biodiesel is considered a renewable fuel alternative.