Through its peer-to-peer car sharing platform, GoMore has long been reshaping how Europeans think about car ownership. Now, the Danish platform company is turning its attention to Finland, where it sees potential to become a leading country for car sharing. Finland’s ambitious sustainable mobility goals, along with changing attitudes toward car ownership, make it an ideal new market for a company that envisions fewer cars on our streets.
The leading Nordic car sharing platform – GoMore – is launching its peer-to-peer rental service in Finland on November 2, 2020. Today, GoMore already helps over 2.5 million members in Denmark, Sweden, and Spain share private cars while taking better care of the environment.
GoMore’s platform allows private car owners to rent out their vehicles safely to verified members of the service. When people share cars, fewer need to own one themselves. This means we can make more efficient use of our existing resources.
"Finland is a natural next step for us, as Finns are already environmentally conscious, and there’s political ambition to reduce the negative impact of cars in our cities. The slowing growth of car ownership, especially in the Helsinki region, suggests that more and more people are considering sustainable alternatives. We see a great opportunity to help cities and residents reduce the number of cars,” says Boris Perkiö, GoMore’s Country Manager in Finland.
Making Better Use of Cars and Cities
In Finland, cars remain unused for an average of 23 hours a day. This is a major issue, as up to half of a car’s lifetime emissions come from its production¹. Unused cars are thus poor investments for both the environment and our wallets.
"We should work together to improve the efficiency of every car. The most natural way to do this is to share our cars with our local communities when we’re not using them ourselves. That way, we can put already-owned vehicles to good use and dedicate our urban space to smarter purposes than car storage,” Boris Perkiö explains.
There are currently over six cars for every ten people in Finland. This ratio is significantly higher than in other Nordic countries, making Finland one of the most car-dense countries in Europe. For example, in Sweden, there are about 30% fewer cars per capita².
Helsinki: Europe’s Best City for Car Sharing?
More than a quarter of Finland’s 2.7 million passenger cars are located in the Uusimaa region³. Interestingly, Helsinki has declared its aim to become carbon-neutral by 2035. Achieving this goal inevitably requires reducing the number of cars in the capital⁴.
Unlike many other European capitals, Helsinki has already managed to slow the growth of car ownership⁵. Especially among young residents, there is growing support for giving up car ownership, even though driving is still seen as an important form of transportation⁶.
"All of this increases our expectations for how urban Finns will embrace peer-to-peer car sharing. Our service makes it easier than ever to give up owning a car, while still offering a convenient way to rent one when walking, cycling, or public transport isn’t an option. We truly believe Helsinki has what it takes to become Europe’s best city for car sharing – and we’re excited to help make that happen,” says Boris Perkiö.
In spring 2021, GoMore will bring even more unique services to Finland, making car sharing easier than ever. By offering members access to more affordable cars, a top-notch user experience, and comprehensive insurance coverage for every rental, GoMore aims to reach 25,000 Finnish members and 1,000 listed cars within its first year of operation.
About GoMore
GoMore is a Danish car sharing platform founded by Matias Møl Dalsgaard and Søren Riis. Today, GoMore is the leading sharing economy company in the Nordics, operating in Denmark, Sweden, and Spain. Together with over 2.5 million members, GoMore helps people share private cars and take better care of the environment. Starting November 2, 2020, GoMore is also available in Finland at gomore.fi.
Sources ¹ Finnish Transport Agency 2018, p. 14. Available: https://julkaisut.vayla.fi/pdf8/lts2018-25yhteiskayttoautojenweb.pdf ² UNECE 2018. Available: https://w3.unece.org/PXWeb/en/Table?IndicatorCode=44 ³ Traficom 2019. Available: http://trafi2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/fi/TraFi/TraFiLiikennekaytossaolevatajoneuvot/030kantatau103.px/table/tableViewLayout1/ ⁴ City of Helsinki 2020. Available: https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/fi/kartat-ja-liikenne/kadut-jaliikennesuunnittelu/liikenteen-ymparistovaikutukset/hiilidioksidi/ ⁵ City of Helsinki 2019, p. 27. Available: https://www.hel.fi/static/liitteet/kaupunkiymparisto/julkaisut/julkaisut/julkaisu-14-20.pdf ⁶ HSL 2016, p. 47. Available: https://www.hsl.fi/sites/default/files/uploads/192016autonomistushelsingin_seudulla.pdf
