Enterprise Rent-A-Car is taking part in a four-month academic mobility hub trial with Imperial College London.
The scheme, based at the University’s South Kensington campus, also involves Brompton Bike Hire.
It will feature two Enterprise Car Club vehicles, one electric and the other powered by hydrogen, along with 25 folding bicycles, including five electric bikes.
Staff who register for the trial will get free Enterprise Car Club membership, and both cars and bikes will be booked through Enterprise’s Car Club app. Access to the cars and bikes will be free for the duration of the pilot.
The idea with the hub is to allow academic research into how commuting patterns and day-to-day travel can be changed, from relying on owning the means of transport to using shared transport.
Surveys will be carried out to identify changes in travel behaviour and attitudes towards the use of shared resources.
The research team will then aim to build on the study’s conclusion with further research into the future of urban mobility. This work is part of Imperial’s Transition to Zero Pollution initiative, a major strategic programme drawing together Imperial experts and partners to address the key global challenge of creating a sustainable future.
Enterprise vice president of sales and business development for Europe George O’Connor said: “As an industry leader in mobility and technology, Enterprise is delighted to be part of this exciting initiative.
“We recognise that people’s expectations about how they travel are changing and this project will provide valuable information on how people respond when given access to a range of shared assets.
“The data from the trial will not only help Imperial understand how their staff change their travel habits but also provide valuable information for Enterprise as we work with local and national governments and other organisations to develop innovative mobility hub and mobility-as-a-service offerings which will make it easier for travellers to switch between shared forms of transport.”