Do you know what your car costs you per year?

Finding/renting a parking space, insurance, traffic charges, servicing and fuel, vehicle inspections, tyre changes, traffic jams: being a car owner has its downsides.

We don’t want to talk your car down – or talk you out of it. And we’re not saying that a Mobility subscription can replace your car. Car sharing is just part of the solution. What we’re aiming to do is help you find out whether you need to own a car – or whether you’d be better off using the money and space for something else.

Here’s a summary: the average car costs 10’000 francs. The average car is parked for 23 hours a day. 30% of households in Switzerland have two cars.

Although many people have little reason to own a car, giving it up is hard, because it represents freedom and independence. In a recent interview with Mobility, sustainability psychologist Cathérine Hartmann mentioned another factor: “The car’s seen as a status symbol, and for many it’s also a kind of home on four wheels – that’s not something we should underestimate. When we let someone borrow our car, it’s a little as if someone has rearranged our seat or fiddled around with the music system. That’s why people don’t like lending their car to someone else.”

And often you simply can’t do without it. If you have no other means of getting around in your neighbourhood, you need a car to get to work or for your hobby or family.

The key thing to bear in mind is this: not owning a car doesn’t necessarily mean living without a car. We spoke to three people who’ve made the leap, i.e. they’ve sold their car or have recently decided to do so. But thanks to car sharing and rental, their living standards remain the same. Meet John, Amela and Guido. Their stories might inspire you to follow their lead.