A new car club that enables drivers to access electric and hybrid vehicles from NCP car parks has launched in the UK.

The new car club uses selected NCP car parks as hubs for drivers to access EVs and hybrids

NCP Car provides a smartphone-enabled car club across major UK cities, using selected NCP cars clubs as hubs to enhance urban mobility while promoting eco-friendly transportation.

The service initially launches in Bristol, London and Cambridge, and could roll out across all NCP car parks if successful.

NCP Car has launched from Park24 International, a group company of NCP, which has signed up Novuna Vehicle Solutions as a supplier following a tender.

Hiroyasu Matsui, president and representative director of Park24 International, said: “Our group operates Times Car in Japan, one of the world’s largest car clubs with more than 65,000 cars, and is widely accepted by consumers in Japan as a convenient service that allows people to use a car anytime, anywhere.

“In the UK, an increasing number of households will find it more economical to rent a vehicle only when they need it, rather than owning it. We believe there is sufficient market potential, and eventually, I want to see all NCP car parks become the hub that allows people to switch between different transport modes.”

Membership fees, which normally cost £6 a month, are free until 31 August 2024 and drivers can use the app to locate available cars in selected NCP car parks and book them for a chosen amount of time. Bookings are available in 15-minute increments, providing a hassle-free short-term car hire service, and can be booked on the spot or up to two weeks in advance.

‘Journey Fees’ start at £2.52 for 15 minutes and packages include £45 for six hours or £75 for 24 hours. The price includes insurance, fuel and/or electricity charging cost, congestion charges, Clean Air Zone/ULEZ charges and 60 miles per journey, with each additional mile thereafter charged at 30p.

Liam James, corporate sales manager at Novuna Vehicle Solutions, said: “We are delighted to be working with NCP Car after a competitive tender process in which we demonstrated that we truly understood both their ambition and their business model. This initiative forms part of our commitment to supporting sustainable urban mobility and helping reduce the environmental impact of transportation.”

Details of the car club and how to download the app are here.