Bringing affordable EVs to Sacramento

• Sacramento needed affordable and sustainable transportation options for its residents. 
• In 2017, the Sac Metro Air District launched Our Community CarShare (OCCS) in partnership with Zipcar, the City of Sacramento, and Breathe California Sacramento Region (BREATHE). 
• Zipcar created a custom car-sharing program for OCCS that gave eligible Sacramento residents access to 18 electric and hybrid vehicles across 9 disadvantaged communities.
• Zipcar’s custom pricing allowed Sac Metro Air District to offer car sharing at a discount for its OCCS residents. 
• Zipcar oversees the logistics to seamlessly move cars between the 9 communities. 
• Since 2017, OCCS residents have taken more than 50,000 trips in EV and hybrid Zipcars. 

OCCS + Zipcar: By the Numbers 

About Our Community Carshare (OCCS) 

OCCS is a program started by the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District in partnership with the city of Sacramento, BREATHE, and Zipcar. It provides electric vehicles at a discounted rate to 9 disadvantaged communities in the Sacramento area. 

The Background 

California’s capital, Sacramento, has always been known as one of the west’s original boomtowns. And in 2016, it was back on the move as the state’s fastest growing city.  

Yet this new boom left some residents behind. Identifying a lack of affordable and sustainable transportation options, the city bought a fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles for its disadvantaged communities. But it still needed a partner to help with overall management and strategic planning.  

The Solution 

In 2017, the Sac Metro Air District launched Our Community Car Share (OCCS) in partnership with Zipcar, the City of Sacramento, and BREATHE.  

Zipcar created a custom car-sharing program for OCCS that gave eligible Sacramento residents access to 18 electric and hybrid vehicles across 9 disadvantaged communities. The program gave OCCS residents exclusive access to affordable, sustainable transportation through an online portal—24/7/365. With this type of on-demand car sharing, residents could more easily take children to school and get to their appointments and day-to-day activities.  

“As a driver for the [Our] Community CarShare program at Riverview Apartments, I’ve found the convenience and availability of the Zipcars to be crucial to many people moving from place to place for shopping and doctor appointments,” said Community CarShare Representative Ron Pederson.  

Zipcar’s partnership gave a custom-pricing structure with discounted rates on EVs to residents. It also provided high-level data to help the Sac Metro Air District track its OCCS program and measure its goals. 

The Result 

The Sac Metro Air District-Zipcar partnership has been a resounding success. Today, Sacramentans living in eligible communities have greater mobility around the city and much better access to the services they need. Zipcar handles 100% of the management and maintenance of the vehicles, so the Sac Metro Air District can focus on other issues.  

Following the launch of OCCS, Zipcar has taken over the logistics of moving cars within the 9 communities, so the Air District can maximize resident outreach and utilization of the program. For OCCS members, Zipcar also offers live help for any trip issues, making this a worry-free investment for the Air District.