Carsharing as a second family car. Why it’s the best decision

Petra is a project manager from Brno and, above all, a mom. A year ago, her family considered getting a second car. But after carefully calculating the costs, they realized it wouldn’t be worth it and decided to try carsharing with Autonapul.

Today, they combine different modes of transport and have found that even with kids, it’s possible to live more sustainably while saving tens of thousands of crowns every year.

“Owning a car that just sits there most of the time doesn’t make sense to me,” says Petra while preparing a snack for one of her children. “I want streets without cars and, above all, I want to act responsibly. I want my children to grow up in a city that isn’t just one big parking lot.”

Why the second car remained just on paper

Petra’s family lives in Brno-střed, near Mendlovo Square. Most weekday trips - to after-school activities, school, kindergarten, or work - they manage by bike, on foot, or by public transport. A car is occasionally useful, for example, for weekend trips or when they need to get somewhere quickly. Petra’s husband also uses it for longer business trips, during which Petra could easily be without the family car for a week. That’s why they considered buying a second vehicle.

But when they calculated the costs - insurance, servicing, technical inspection, parking - this “backup” would cost them almost CZK 9,000 a month. And most of the time, the second car would just sit there. “It was clear it didn’t make sense,” says Petra.
Another argument against was the parking problem. “Even with one car, it’s sometimes impossible to park near our home - you circle around two blocks before finding a spot. With two cars, it would just be more stress,” she adds.

A big advantage of shared cars in Brno is that they can park in all blue zones without restrictions and can also enter the city center freely. “Keeping an extra parking space for a car we’d only have ‘just in case’, when someone else who truly needs it could use it, doesn’t make sense to us either.”

Carsharing cars in Brno can park in all residential zones and are allowed to enter the city center

How the shared car fit into family life

These days, Petra’s husband is the one who most often uses the shared car for business trips. That way, Petra has the family car at home while he’s away. They also know they can book a car from the carsharing service whenever needed.

She learned about Autonapul from a friend. “At first, I was worried - about child seats, or what if no car was available nearby?” she recalls. But she soon found there was nothing to fear and now uses the shared cars herself when her husband is away with the family vehicle. “The app is easy to use, the cars have ISOFIX, and I can choose the size I need. For short trips, I take a smaller car; for outings, a roomy combi car. I even tried an electric car - it’s great around town. And if there’s an option, I pick an automatic because that’s what I’m used to.”

Family mobility reimagined

Today, the family mostly gets around on foot, by bike, or by public transport during the week. They use their own car only when truly necessary, and they rely on carsharing for business trips or unexpected situations.
“The cost of a car, when you include the purchase, regular servicing, motorway pass, parking, insurance, fuel, and various unexpected expenses, is quite high. Let’s say CZK 8,000–10,000 a month. Carsharing includes all of this in the price - even fuel. If I don’t drive, I pay nothing. And when I do need a car, the cost of a single booking might seem high, but over the year, it’s not that much. I recommend everyone to calculate it for themselves,” says Petra.

“Instead of spending almost twenty thousand crowns on running two cars, we now only pay for one and have variable expenses for carsharing. We also have a public transport pass, but we would buy that in any case. We calculated our savings at around 5,500 crowns per month, which comes to 66,000 crowns per year. The money we save can go towards kids’ activities, holidays, or simply be set aside as savings.”

Kids and sustainability

Petra values that she can show her children sustainability in practice. “The kids already understand that we don’t have to own everything - we borrow books, toys, and, when necessary, even a car.”

On rare occasions, no car is available nearby. “I’ve learned to plan ahead and have a plan B,” Petra says. But she sees this more as an advantage - it means the family walks more, discovers new parks and playgrounds, and avoids parking stress.

With carsharing, we no longer have to compromise. We travel efficiently and sustainably.

Advice for others, not just parents

“I recommend trying it gradually,” Petra advises. “Maybe just for a month or two, to see if carsharing suits you.” Registration with Autonapul is non-binding. The contract can be terminated at any time. That’s another advantage compared to, for example, operational leasing.

She thinks family carsharing is ideal for those who:

live in a city with good public transport,
use a car only occasionally, or
want to show their children a sustainable lifestyle.

A shift in thinking about personal mobility

“The biggest change isn’t in how we get around, but in how we think about transport. Every trip has a different best option - sometimes a car, sometimes a tram, sometimes your own two feet,” Petra sums up.

The result? “With carsharing, we have more freedom and choice. And I’d like the streets to be more than just parking lots - I want them to be safe spaces for children. I believe services like carsharing help make that happen.”

Want to find out if carsharing would work for you too? Autonapul has cars with ISOFIX and various sizes to suit a family’s needs in Brno. Registration is non-binding, so you can try it out and easily cancel if it’s not for you.