Exeter’s community car club has clocked up more than 16,000 miles and attracted 138 members in just six months.
Co Wheels gives residents access to a car without the cost and responsibility of owning one. Members can book one of five low-emission hybrid vehicles by the hour or day through the Co Wheels app, with prices starting from £7.50 an hour or £50 a day.
Devon County Council worked with national community car club provider Co Wheels to launch the scheme in Exeter on 18 March 2026.
The vehicles are based at:
• Southernhay East, Exeter, EX1 1QL
• Powderham Crescent, Exeter, EX4 6BZ
• College Road, Exeter, EX1 1TG
• Polsloe Road, Exeter, EX1 2DN
• Bartholomew Street West, Exeter, EX4 3AJ
Car clubs can help reduce congestion, free up parking spaces and lower emissions by enabling more people to share fewer vehicles. They can also encourage members to walk, cycle or use public transport for shorter, everyday journeys.
The 2025 annual car club report from Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), the national charity for shared transport, found that each car club vehicle in the UK replaces an average of 23 private cars. Based on this national average, Exeter’s five Co Wheels vehicles could replace around 115 private cars.
The same report found that, after joining a car club, each user reduces their total car mileage by an average of 2,112 miles a year, leading to an estimated greenhouse gas reduction of 510kg of CO2e per user.
Co Wheels plans to expand the Exeter network in future, with additional vehicles expected to be introduced as membership and demand grows.
Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for climate change, said:
“It’s great to see Co Wheels helping more people in Exeter choose a practical alternative to private car ownership. Sharing vehicles can reduce the number of cars on our roads, ease pressure on parking and lower carbon emissions.
“The scheme shows how convenient, everyday travel choices can contribute to our wider efforts to tackle climate change. A heartfelt thank you to every resident who has taken the step of joining up and helping to make this initiative and local travel more sustainable.”
Richard Falconer, Head of Mobility at Co Wheels, said:
“We’re delighted with the response to the Exeter scheme in its first six months. Attracting 138 members and seeing more than 16,000 miles travelled shows how car clubs can give people a convenient, affordable alternative to owning a car.
“By making vehicles available for use by the hour or day, we’re helping residents access a car when they need one, while supporting more sustainable travel choices. We look forward to building on this strong start and expanding the network as membership grows.”
Residents can find their nearest vehicle and join the scheme at www.co-wheels.org.uk/exeter or by downloading the Co Wheels App.
- National comparison figures are taken from CoMoUK’s Annual Car Club Report UK 2025: CoMoUK Annual Car Club Report 2025