Shared mobility platforms Poppy and GreenMobility are withdrawing from several regional capitals. As of January 1st, 2024, the typical red Poppy cars will no longer be seen in Ghent, Leuven, and Mechelen. The GreenMobility vehicles, on the other hand, will disappear from the streets in Brussels and Ghent.

D’Ieteren’s subsidiary Poppy was launched in Mechelen on June 1st, 2021, after Antwerp and Brussels, the third Belgian city where the car sharer offered its services. The free-floating red cars were launched to supplement the other shared car system, Cambio.

Free-floating system

The difference between both systems? Cambio cars require a reservation and must be returned to a permanent Cambio parking lot. Poppy cars don’t need a reservation. Anyone using the Poppy app can unlock and use the car and leave it in a particular zone.

Poppy was launched to encourage a shift from car ownership to shared mobility, reduce the number of cars in traffic, and contribute to a more sustainable city.

However, in reality, the use of shared cars is only slightly higher than private vehicles. So, this reality goes against the fundamental principles of car sharing: to maximize the efficient use of each vehicle. That is why Poppy will discontinue its services in Mechelen, Leuven, and Ghent. Poppy remains operational in Antwerp, Brussels, and Liège, where demand for shared mobility is still growing.

Focus on other markets

The Danish GreenMobility, on the other hand, will close its zones and hotspots in Ghent and Brussels (except for the airport in Zaventem) on December 21st, 2023, to consolidate the business in other existing strong markets. As long as there are cars available, users can still start their ride in Brussels or Ghent and end their journey in Antwerp or at Brussels Airport. Earlier this year, GreenMobility withdrew from Sweden and Germany, now the Netherlands and part of Belgium are following.

And there is another phenomenon that threatens the sector. Most car-sharing companies are fed up with the constant destruction of their cars. In a joint letter addressed to the Mayors of the 19 Brussels municipalities, the chiefs of police of six Brussels police zones, the Minister of Justice, and the Minister of the Interior, three car-sharing companies (Poppy, GreenMobility, and Miles Mobility) express their concern about the increasing vandalism to their cars.  Smashed windows, emptied fire extinguishers, and broken rear-view mirrors.

Vandalism

The three parties involved regret the slow response of the law enforcement services when they reported attempted theft or vandalism to the police. They, therefore, ask the competent authorities to take measures to stop vandalism. In the meantime, GreenMobility is considering stricter entry conditions or an increased monetary deposit that platform users must pay with a debit card. Poppy, in its turn, has taken action by introducing a system with facial recognition.