You’ve probably already heard us talk about this a thousand times — renting a car is so much more eco-friendly than owning one. But do you know how exactly you’re contributing to a greener city? Check out the 4 most significant ways you’re helping our environment when you choose to rent a car in Singapore over buying one.

01 • You’re reducing our pollution and carbon footprint

Every time you choose to rent a car instead of buying one, you’re ultimately bringing down the demand for more cars. You may be thinking that car rental still contributes to the demand-and-supply chain in the automotive industry, but think about it this way — rental cars are shared by more people, whereas when you buy a car, it’s owned only by you. When more and more people choose private car ownership over shared alternatives, they cause an increase in vehicle production that contributes to greater pollution and carbon emissions.

So, what happens when there are fewer cars on the road? For starters, fewer cars means less fuel burnt, which in turn causes a decrease in harmful emissions, including carbon. Did you know that apart from carbon dioxide (the most common greenhouse gas), regular fuel vehicles also emit poisonous gases like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, benzene and formaldehyde? These harmful gases cause a myriad of problems like acid rain, air, water, and land pollution, and even a crisis in public health.

Not only that, pollution from the oil and gas industry is the single biggest cause of rising global temperatures — contributing to over 0.3°C of the 1°C increase in global average temperatures. This might not seem like much of a big deal but on a global scale, a 1°C increase causes serious damage to both our little island and the world. 😢

02 • You’re easing the demand for natural resources

(Photo: CarBuyer Singapore)

Remember when we said that shared mobility requires fewer cars on the roads? This is great news for the environment because manufacturing vehicles is a resource- and energy-intensive process. For instance, it takes over 147,000 litres of water to produce one car. That’s not even factoring in the 1,900 litres needed to produce each tyre. 🤯

As if that’s not bad enough, the steel and aluminium needed to build vehicles are actually derived from mining and smelting, which are extremely harmful to the environment. The plastic bits you’ll find in a car’s interior/exterior components are derived from petroleum, another high-demand resource that requires excavation. 

A drop in private car ownership can help alleviate undue stress on the environment by reducing the demand for natural resources.

03 • You’re more open to driving cleaner energy vehicles

While there’s no doubt that private car ownership comes with its own set of advantages, one of the major downsides to buying your own car is that you’ll be tied down to a single model for a while. This isn’t the case when you rent cars, because most car rental services keep their fleet updated with newer makes and models that are much more modern and fuel-efficient. It’s a win-win situation because not only will you be driving cars with better fuel economy, but you’ll also get to try out new brands and models. 😊

04 • You’re helping to create more efficient spaces

(Photo: Natural Walking Cities)

Here’s a shocking fact: there are over 12,000 car parks in Singapore with about 1.4 million parking lots! Most of these car parks are located in public housing estates, private residential areas, shopping malls, offices, public areas, and other commercial buildings. Not just that, each parking lot also takes up about half the size of a three-room HDB flat. That’s a lot of space taken up just for cars.

Car rental is a great way to open up these spaces for non-parking uses as there’ll be a lower demand for privately owned cars and car parks too. This means that places that were previously car parks can be converted into more environmentally friendly spaces like urban farms as well as cycling paths, pedestrian walkways, and EV charging stations just to name a few.

GetGo’s pledge towards shared and sustainable mobility

At GetGo, we strongly believe that the freedom to drive should be a shared and sustainable one. Our vision falls perfectly in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, a 10-year national sustainability initiative to achieve our country’s long-term goal of net zero emissions.

Earlier this year, we partnered with Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre in Singapore (HMGICS) and CDG Engie to further drive EV carsharing adoption in Singapore. We also continuously introducing cleaner energy vehicles to our fleet.

So, while it’s true that regular petrol cars aren’t the best for the environment, it’s undeniable that driving opens up a whole new world of freedom and possibilities. People can commute and travel in much more convenient ways, enjoy a lot more privacy during their journeys, and make memories together with their loved ones. The key is to not reject mobility — it’s to constantly improve it, and that’s where your power as a consumer can make a difference.

So, the next time you rent a car, remember all the fabulous ways you’re helping to make Singapore (and our planet) a greener, better place. 🙌

Ready to experience the #FreedomToDrive? Download GetGo now to rent a car from just $3/hour and use code G50BLOG to enjoy 50% off* (capped at $8) your first drive.

* Code is only valid for the first booking. Other T&Cs apply.

To a sustainable future!
Luna 🍀

Want to learn more about clean energy vehicles? Check out our EV reads:

• BYD T3 100% electric van review
• MG ZS EV review
• Hyundai KONA review
• All you need to know about driving an EV in Singapore