Zipcar Rolls Out National Low-Car Diet, Helps Consumers Avoid Pain of High Gas Prices

More than 300 participants in 10 US cities to live one month without their car

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 21 -- Zipcar, the world's largest provider of cars on demand by the hour or day, launched the first-ever national Low-Car Diet. Beginning today, more than 300 participants will hand over the keys to their personal cars and commit to living one month without the use of their vehicle. Instead, they will utilize public transportation, increase walking and biking, and be given a Zipcar membership to access the vehicles when necessary.

With gas prices continuing to rise, the Low-Car Diet program encourages people across the country to test-drive a car free routine and see how it works for their daily lifestyle. It is the first step towards getting consumers to consider permanently giving up a first or second vehicle. To date, Zipcar estimates that it has taken more than 90,000 personally-owned vehicles off urban streets.

To kick off the Low-Car Diet, Zipcar will be hosting events in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC for local participants. At the event, participants will hand over their keys and commit to living without their car for the next month. Throughout the program, participants will be monitored and asked how going car "light" is affecting various aspects of their lifestyle, including cost savings, fuel savings, reduced VMT (vehicle miles traveled), and even personal weight loss. These results will be released at the end of the program.

"Reducing car ownership and vehicle miles traveled eases traffic and environmental concerns in our cities, while helping individuals and families save money," said Scott Griffith, chairman and CEO of Zipcar. "The Low Car Diet will give 300 people a true taste of how their lives and communities can be positively affected by getting rid of a personal car, and show that with a Zipcar around the corner, living car 'light' can be a permanent way of life."

To keep up with the Low-Car Diet and learn more about the participants and the results, please visit www.zipcar.com/lowcardiet. Once the program is underway, it will feature testimonials and first-hand accounts about the program.

About Zipcar

Zipcar is the world's leading car-sharing service with 225,000 members and 5,500 vehicles in urban areas and college campuses throughout 26 North American states and provinces as well as in London, England. As a leader in urban transportation, Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self- service vehicles by the hour or day to savvy city residents and businesses looking for an alternative to the high costs and hassles of owning a car in the city. For more information, visit Zipcar.com.