Successes, challenges, and farewells - Autonapul in 2024

The year 2024 was full of both challenges and successes for Autonapul. Shared mobility continues to evolve, and we are grateful to be part of this transformation.

Let’s take a look at the key moments of the past year.

• The total mileage in 2024 reached a record 1,360,695 kilometers.

• We saw a continued influx of customers from AJO carsharing, which ceased operations.

• We introduced a new billing system and card payment option.

• We modernized our carsharing units.

• We ended operations in Pardubice.

• At the end of 2024, our long-time director Michal Šimoník said farewell. However, he left Autonapul in good hands of cooperative chairman Stanislav Kutáček and continues to be an active member.

Record-breaking mileage

2024 was our most successful year in terms of kilometers driven: 1,360,695 kilometers marks a historic high for Autonapul.

Several factors contributed to this:

• At the beginning of the year, users from the former competitor AJO carsharing continued to join - we offered them a similar service, possibly with a few extra perks, and they’ve become very active and regular users.

• Meanwhile, other competitors withdrew from Brno, putting pressure on our fleet, which we successfully managed to expand in time.

• The additional vehicles helped meet demand during the peak summer holiday season.

• And by year’s end, Plzeň-based Karkulka carsharing also ceased operations, bringing more clients to us.

All of this suggests that Autonapul, with its more than 20-year history, is here to stay, and we thank our users for that.

International trips with Autonapul in 2024

Autonapul is also a favorite for international holiday and business trips. We have no mileage limits, don’t require prior notice for foreign travel, and selected cars come equipped with foreign toll stickers or environmental badges. And because fuel is included in our rates, higher fuel prices abroad are not a concern, the per-kilometer fee remains the same. In 2024, our users most often traveled to Slovakia, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Hungary, and Austria.

Using Autonapul shared cars is now even easier

In the fall, after thorough preparation, we launched a major change in our billing system, users can now pay by card after each reservation. One ride = one payment.

We also added a fare calculator directly into the app, allowing users to estimate the rental cost based on duration and expected mileage. While simple for users, it runs on a complex system in the background.

Alongside this, we updated our General Business Conditions.

Read more:

Card payment

Updates to the shared fleet

2024 clearly showed that Renault Arkana vehicles are extremely popular among our customers. Their average utilization is higher than the rest of the fleet. Thanks to this popularity and our successful cooperation with Renault Czech Republic, we will continue offering these mostly hybrid crossovers in 2025. We also added two fully electric Renault Megane E-Tech vehicles to the fleet.

For those who find the Arkana too large, we have a new option: Renault Clio available as a hybrid automatic (self-charging, no plug-in) or as a six-speed manual running on cleaner LPG.

We also expanded our fleet with the consistently popular Skoda Fabia Combi.

Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to our Tesla. Olaf was involved in an accident that proved fatal.

Renault Megane E-Tech at Impact Hub

Promoting carsharing - and it’s working

We envision a world where people effectively use all available forms of transport - walking, cycling, public transit, and when necessary, individual transport, ideally shared bikes and cars. We actively spread these ideas through social media and at in-person events such as conferences and expos.

Thanks to these efforts, awareness of carsharing continues to grow among individuals, families, freelancers, businesses, and the public sector. To meet such diverse client needs, Autonapul and round-trip carsharing in general must remain universal and adaptable. We’re glad to be that kind of service for you.

Partnerships with companies and organizations

In 2024, we further developed our employee benefit program for companies. We partnered with organizations such as the Partnership Foundation, and continued successful collaborations with RedHat, Palacký University, and others. Through this, we promote carsharing and support innovative mobility solutions for companies, non-profits, and academia.

We’re proud that Autonapul shared cars support great projects like Rekola, the pioneer of bikesharing in the Czech Republic, and Sensorie, which builds smart greenhouses. Rekola has been with us since 2016, and their usage has evolved significantly over time - showing just how flexible carsharing can be. The key benefit for organizations is the no-commitment model - pay when you drive, pay nothing when you don’t.

New partners keep joining us. Sensorie, for example, came to us after AJO carsharing ended. As their founder said, “you really saved our skin.” They now use Autonapul for both business and personal mobility.

Read more:

Sensorie builds smart greenhouses and uses shared cars

David Bažout, co-founder of Sensorie in Brno

Thinking about the future

A core part of Autonapul’s DNA is our responsibility to the world around us - urban space, the environment, and other road users. We actively assess the impacts of our service and strive to minimize any negative effects. That’s why we started using the Impact Metrics calculator to track our carbon footprint over time. This helps us measure our impact and collect data for a more climate-friendly, low-carbon business transition.

We continue working with Czech Railways and promoting train travel as a sustainable option. Travelers can redeem CD Points for discounts at Autonapul. Thanks to our new card payment system, the discount is now applied to future bookings instead of past rides.

September is associated with European Mobility Week, and we actively participate - in Liberec, Prague, and Olomouc, we took part in public events and discussions about sustainable transport. These debates often include heated exchanges on topics like residential parking, congestion charges, or bike infrastructure - where carsharing plays a vital role.

One of the biggest examples of sustainable transport is the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) concept. This innovative approach combines various transport services into one platform, enabling users to plan and pay for trips across different modes. In Prague and the Central Bohemian region, the PID Lítačka app allows users to combine public transit with shared bikes, scooters, and cars.

Read more:

How to redeem CD Points at Autonapul

Litacka integrates all modes of transport

Autonapul presents its municipal offering at the Urbis Festival

Growing projects and new plans

Autonapul showcased its municipal offer at URBIS - The Smart Cities Meetup. We see collaboration with local governments as an opportunity to develop carsharing across Czechia - both for residents and public employees. The vehicles will be used more efficiently, spreading operational costs.

In Plzen, we launched a pilot cargo bike sharing project with Plzen na kole.

In addition to founding the Czech Carsharing Association in 2015, we are also actively involved in Změna k lepšímu, a business association supporting sustainability, where we hold a vice-chair role.

We also receive support from the Partnership for Urban Mobility.

Read more:

Autonapul at URBIS

Customers come first

We believe that positive personal referrals are the best endorsement for any company, which is why customer satisfaction and safety remain our top priorities. Positive reviews confirm the quality of our services.

Autonapul grew from the ground up and we continue to foster its community-oriented nature. We regularly conduct surveys and engage in discussions on social media.

We also love hearing about our users’ experiences, especially through our traditional summer photo contest.

A trip to the Austrian via ferrata

Plans and challenges for 2025

Last year, we began working on new developments with the service design studio Pábení. We want to become more understandable for newcomers to carsharing, while maintaining a friendly and personal approach for our existing users. We believe we’re on the right path.

We will continue to develop our business activities with property developers, municipalities, and other large clients. As we expand our services, we remain fully committed to our core values - respect for the environment and public space.

We want to continue our collaboration with Majda Slámová, so we can showcase the benefits of carsharing not only for individuals and families, but also for companies and organizations. Her photography helps illustrate what cities can look like when spaces are designed for people, not cars.

Read more: Pábení: Revisiting the customer journey