Owning a car is undeniably a luxury for the average Singaporean, especially with recent Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices exceeding $100,000 for large cars and Electric Vehicles (EV) in 2022 for the first time since 1994. At the same time, owning a car is perhaps a goal for some of us because we get to avoid jostling on public transport during rush hour or worrying about that bus which only comes once every 30 minutes.
Considering the total cost of car ownership is still out of reach for many of us, one alternative to enjoy the freedom and utility of car usage is for us to turn to car-sharing services.
In this article, we mainly consider Car Sharing services to be services that allow you to rent a car by the minute. Here is an overview of popular car-sharing operators in the market, what they offer, and how much they cost.
Read Also: An Explanation On Why Cars In Singapore Are So Expensive
Find Out More
BlueSG
BlueSG offers environmentally-friendly Electric Vehicles (EVs). The EVs run only on electricity. Hence, there is no petrol required and you don’t have to worry about excess mileage. Blue SG’s fleet of EVs is a standard make which can seat four adults comfortably.
They offer point-to-point service and EVs can be returned at any of their more than 300 stations, which you can choose to reserve in advance through their app. If the Blue SG station near you is already occupied (i.e. they are not spare lots), you will have to find another lot and usage fees will continue to be charged until the car is returned.
Car rental is a fixed rate, depending on your membership, and the fees are the same whether it’s a weekday, weekend, peak or off-peak hour.
There are two different types of memberships offered – Basic and Premium. Both memberships have the same rental fees, 24-hour customer relations assistance, Multiple Queue-POP reservations and usage of rental packages.
However, Premium membership comes with exclusive BlueSG membership cars, free rental for 40 minutes every month and exclusive access to events. However, the Premium membership will need a 6-month commitment period.
| Membership Type | Membership Fees (per month) | Rental Cost | Commitment Period |
| Basic | $8 | $0.42/min | None |
| Premium | $18 | $0.42/min, 40min free every month. | 6 Months |
To join Blue SG, you need to be at least 20 with 12 months of driving experience.
Tribecar
Tribecar has the most diverse fleet of vehicles for rental including motorcycles, vans and lorries. Vehicles come in three different classes – Economy, Standard, Standard+ and Car Club – to suit the needs of different drivers. Car Club by Tribecar is a leading car-sharing platform that offers better rates and dedicated chat support, with over 110 Car Club stations across Singapore and more than 230 cars available for selection.
The operator also extends its fleet to drivers for commercial usage and there are over 1400+ vehicles islandwide. Do note that cars can only be returned to the station that it was taken from. There is no membership system but fees can vary from $0.54 to $12.96 per hour depending on the period of rental, category of vehicle, and promotions or special offers available. Daily and weekly rates are capped for drivers who require the car for a longer period.
Drivers are expected to return vehicles with enough fuel to not turn the fuel level light on. For vehicles under the (Fuel Included) category, if the fuel drops below ¼ level, drivers are required to refuel the vehicle to a full tank with the provided fleet cards. For other vehicles, petrol rates are excluded from the cost of rental and have to be borne by the driver.
For price comparison, we’ve taken the charges for a standard sedan.
| Period | Rental Cost |
| Super off-peak | $3.24 per hour |
| Off-peak | $5.94 per hour |
| Peak | $8.64 per hour |
| Daily (Mon-Thu) | $91.80 |
| Daily (Fri-Sun) | $135.00 |
| Weekly | $594.00 |
To join Tribecar, you have to be between the ages of 18 and 65. Newer drivers who are below 23 years old or have less than 2 years of local driving experience will be subjected to an additional security deposit ($100) and an additional surcharge of 30% for each booking. P-Plate drivers are allowed to drive with Tribecar.
Under the Grab PowerHour programme, drivers can enjoy a lower rental rate (as low as $2 per hour) without any long-term contracts if Tribecar is rented to drivers who are intending to provide Grab services. Additionally, Tribecar offers a Motor Excess Rider, TribesShield, which protects users from excessive financial losses in the event of an accident. For an additional $1.20 per hour (payment made before booking commencement), this will provide coverage that reduces the financial burden to $500 per party in the event of an accident.
Car Club
Car Club is Singapore’s pioneer car-sharing company and has more than 22 years of experience in the industry. There are 110+ Car Club stations across Singapore and more than 230 cars up for selection. Cars have to be picked up and returned at the same location.
While Car Club has recently been acquired by Tribecar, which claimed to be one of the largest buyouts in the local car-sharing scene, it is worthwhile to note that the terms and conditions, as well as pricing, still work differently for Car Club and Tribecar.
For instance, Car Club has more stringent requirements as compared to Tribecar. It requires drivers to be 22 years old and above, with minimum of 2 years of driving experience. Cars have to be returned to designated green parking lots with ¼ tank full.
In general, Car Club Select rental cost (for Toyota Altis, Mazda CX-5 or similar models) may seem slightly pricier than Tribecar based on hourly rates but it becomes the more affordable option if you drive longer and regularly.
| Period | Rental Cost (CarClub Select) | Rental Cost (CarClub Prime) |
| Super off-peak | $3 per hour | $10 per hour |
| Off-peak | $6 per hour | $11 per hour |
| Peak | $9 per hour | $12 per hour |
| Daily (Mon-Thu) | $85 | $95 |
| Daily (Fri-Sun) | $120 | $130 |
CarLite
CarLite is one of the newer players in the market but their rates are competitive. They allow for 15-minute bookings which are great for anyone who only requires the car to go short distances.
There are 5 tiers of cars to select from with different car models per tier. All tiers are self-pump and petrol costs are to be borne by the driver. Entry to Malaysia is currently unavailable.
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Tier 5 | |
| Per 15 minute costs ( Monday-Friday, 12am to 5pm) | $0.80 | $1.00 | $1.20 | $1.40 | $1.55 |
| Per 15 minute costs (other timings) | $1.70 | $1.70 | $1.90 | $2.05 | $2.25 |
| 24 hour Day Rates (Monday-Thursday) | $54 | $63 | $73 | $80 | $83 |
| 24 hour Day Rates (Friday-Sunday) | $68 | $85 | $95 | $100 | $105 |
| 7 Day weekly rate | $420 | $465 | $535 | $565 | $635 |
For drivers below 22 years old and/or 2 years of driving experience, certain cars will not be available.
Shariot
Shariot aims to be a fuss-free car-sharing experience with zero membership commitments and affordable rates. To be a member, you just have to place a refundable deposit of $100. Similar to Carlite, they allow for 15 min bookings. Due to the A-to-A car sharing model, cars have to be picked up and returned at the same location.
To book Shariot, you need to top up their e-wallet system (Shariot Wallet) and the rental charges will be charged from there. Fuel charges are not included in the charges and you have to return the car with at least 1/4 tank full or penalties will apply.
| Shariot Saver | Shariot Standard | Shariot Plus | |
| Super Off-Peak: 12:00am to 5:59am | $1.90 /hour | $3.90 /hour | $4.90 /hour |
| Off-Peak: 10:00am to 10:59am 2.00pm – 5.59pm 9.00pm – 11.59pm |
$3.90 /hour | $5.90 /hour | $6.90 /hour |
| Peak: 6.00am – 9.59am 11.00am -1.59pm 6:00pm to 8:59pm |
$5.90 /hour | $5.90 /hour | $8.90 /hour |
Drivers are required to be 19 – 65 years of age and have at least 1 year of experience in driving. You can also contact them if you wish to use their cars for private hire purposes.
GetGo
GetGo is a new addition to this space and is the largest Point A-to-A carsharing service in Singapore.
Charges comprise the rental fee per hour as well as a mileage charge of $0.39/km. Those concerned about getting into accidents can opt for a Collision Damage Waiver, which costs an additional 5% of your total booking charge, and saves you up to $3,210 in damages if you are an experienced driver, or up to $5,350 if you are young (22 years old and below), Senior (70 years old and above) or have less than 2 years of driving experience.
| Economy | Standard | Premium | Weekend | Weekday | |
| Off-Peak | $3.00/hr | $3.00/hr | $6.00/hr | 12am-5.59am | 6am-8.59am |
| Normal | $5.00/hr | $6.00/hr | $9.00/hr | 12am-5.59am 6am-8.59am |
12am-5.59am 9am-5.59pm |
| Peak | $7.00/hr | $9.00/hr | $12.00/hr | 9am-5.59pm 6pm-11.59pm |
6pm-11.59pm |
Drivers are required to be 1) at least 19 years of age and have 1 year of experience in driving or 2) above 25 years of age with a P-Plate license. Drivers must not have major violations or incidents such as speeding or reckless driving. Young drivers (under 22 years old), New drivers (less than 2 years of driving experience) and Senior drivers (above 70 years old) will be subject to higher insurance excess rates.
Earlier this year, GetGo also introduced more Electric Vehicles (EVs), such as Hyundai IONIQ Electric, Hyundai Kona Electric and the MG ZS Electric, to its current car fleet as part of its sustainability goals.
The hourly rental fees for EVs are higher than normal vehicles, but with a lower mileage charge of $0.25/km. Currently, you can recharge the EVs at Shell Recharge, SP Public Charging and Charge+ Public Charging stations by downloading specific mobile apps.
| Standard | Premium | Commercial Electric | Weekend | Weekday | |
| Off-Peak: | $4.00 /hour | $12.00 /hour | $10.00 /hour | 6am – 8:59am | |
| Normal: | $7.00 /hour | $15.00 /hour | $11.00 /hour | 12am –5.59am
6am – 8.59am |
12am –5.59am
9am – 5.59pm |
| Peak: | $10.00 /hour | $18.00 /hour | $12.00 /hour | 9am – 5.59pm
6pm -11.59pm |
6pm -11.59pm |
Read Also: 5 Cheapest Cars In Singapore That You Can Buy In 2022
Drive lah
Drive lah is hailed to be the largest peer-to-peer car-sharing community in Singapore.
Unlike other car-sharing platforms with a fixed cost structure, the rental costs for DriveLah vehicles vary widely across different models. The daily rental rate starts from as low as $50/day for Suzuki Swift 2012 and increases to $500/day for Honda Jazz 2018.
Every booking comes with Basic Protection, capped at a maximum personal liability of $6,420 in case of any accident/ damage. To reduce liability costs, you can either sign up for the Maximum Protection Plan at $18/trip (liability reduced to zero) or Premium Protection Plan at $6/trip (liability reduced to $1,000). The comprehensive insurance also applies to vehicles that allow drive-in to Malaysia.
Drivers are required to be at least 22 years old with a valid Singapore licence for 2 years or more.
What You Should Know Before You Decide To Car-Share
There are many factors and cost considerations one needs to make when buying a car.
#1 ERP, Parking and Petrol Fees
When calculating your overall cost, remember to factor in ERP and parking fees. These are excluded from the rental costs paid to the car-sharing operator and have to be borne by the driver. Petrol/mileage fees may or may not have been already factored into the rental cost and it would be prudent to keep these in mind before making your decision.
#2 Late Penalty Fees
Vehicles have to be returned on time otherwise a late penalty fee will be added to your car rental charges. Some operators may allow for a grace period, but most others do not. Find out the costs of returning the car late and make a longer booking if required to allow yourself sufficient time to make the return.
#3 Insurance Coverage
All car-sharing operators cover drivers with basic insurance, but you should ensure that you understand what it covers (e.g. personal liability, damages, towing and other costs).
Read Also: Car Insurance – What You Need To Know (And Do) When A Traffic Accident Occurs
#4 Location And Accessibility
Car-sharing should ease your commuting problems, not make it even more inaccessible. Though car sharing companies may advertise “islandwide” pick-ups and drop-offs, it would be wise to do your due diligence, making sure there are cars and stations near your home or office before you sign up for any membership plan. The ability to return a car at any station should also be a factor to take into consideration as it can significantly affect rental costs.
#5 Child Seats
Child seats are not provided by car-sharing operators and you will have to get your own should you need one.
#6 Drive-in To Malaysia
Last but not least, it is important to stay updated on prevailing policies and regulations of vehicle rental if you are planning to drive into Malaysia. Check carefully if the vehicles are eligible for drive-in to Malaysia on the operator’s website, and if they are fully covered by insurance in the event of accident/damage.
In addition, do remember that Singapore-registered vehicles are required to have at least a three-quarter tank when driving into Malaysia. You are also not allowed to pump RON95 petrol there so you can either refuel with another type or after you return to Singapore.
Read Also: How Much Does It Cost For Singapore Cars To Enter Malaysia? And Is It Worth Your Time (And Money)?
This article was first published on 17 April 2019, and updated to reflect the latest pricing changes and new entrants.
The post Guide To Car Sharing Options In Singapore: Blue SG, Tribecar, Car Club, CarLite, Shariot, GetGo, Drive lah appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.
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