“Car sharers are not bigger tree-huggers than others: at least not in the Swedish forest”

Abstract

Car sharing is often promoted as a sustainable mobility solution and a hallmark of the sharing economy. It is commonly assumed that environmental concerns are a key motivation for consumers who use car sharing services. However, previous studies offer mixed findings regarding the link between car sharing and environmental attitudes. Drawing on nationally representative survey data from 2019 to 2024 (N = 10,170), this study examines the relationship between consumers’ environmental attitudes and car sharing use. Results show that environmental attitudes have only limited influence. Most attitudinal measures, including general environmental concern and support for reducing car use, did not significantly differ (p