Car owners across the UK can now rent out their vehicles when they are not using them, following this week’s nationwide launch of easyCar Club.
The brainchild of easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the service is expanding nationally after a successful trial in London last year.
The company, which is also backed by lastminute.com founder Brent Hoberman, said members can join the club for free and hire comprehensively insured cars from £25 a day.
All of the cars in the club are less than 10 years old and benefit from free RAC roadside assistance and recovery cover.
Car owners who sign up to the scheme can set their own prices and according to easyCar Club can make up to £3,500 a year, although the London trial delivered average annual earnings for participants of £1,800.
The service follows on from other peer-to-peer schemes such as airbnb and ParkatmyHouse, which respectively let homeowners rent out rooms in their house or hire out access to their driveways.
Dubbed the “sharing economy”, the approach has won plaudits from environmentalists who argue that it helps cut the volume of products that need to be manufactured, while also reducing costs for consumers.
Car clubs in particular have been adopted by local authorities and other public bodies looking to save costs by replacing permanent fleets with on-demand vehicles.
Richard Laughton, chief executive of easyCar, said: “easyCar Club is an innovative concept which we believe will bring something really different to the car rental market in the UK. The service rewards both owners and drivers, offering increased convenience, choice and peace of mind and, most importantly, a way to make and save money.”