Milan’s urban mobility landscape is bracing for another significant shift as Enjoy, a prominent car-sharing service, prepares to introduce drastic new rules from January 2026. The most impactful change will be the discontinuation of free-floating rentals, a feature highly valued by users for its flexibility and convenience. This decision, attributed to escalating costs and stringent municipal regulations, casts a long shadow over the future of car sharing in Italy’s economic capital.
The End of Free-Floating: What Changes from January 2026?
The pivotal date for Enjoy users is January 12, 2026. From this point forward, the service will abandon its free-floating model, requiring customers to initiate and terminate rentals exclusively at designated ‘Enjoy Points’ accessible via the app. This represents a significant departure from the previous model, which allowed users to pick up and drop off vehicles anywhere within the operational zone. Furthermore, users will now be responsible for paying the Area C access ticket and parking fees for blue-striped spaces, services previously included.
This re-evaluation of the service effectively removes three key benefits that made Enjoy particularly attractive: the free-floating option, complimentary access to Area C, and free parking in blue-striped zones. Enjoy justifies these changes by stating they will “make it easier to monitor the status of vehicles and intervene for any maintenance needs,” while also reducing fleet management costs. Despite these operational adjustments, the company has confirmed that current tariffs will remain in effect, and existing subscriptions will continue to be valid. However, a notable change in payment methods will be introduced: prepaid cards will no longer be accepted, with users required to use debit or credit cards or their PayPal accounts for rentals.
Is Car Sharing in Crisis in Milan?
The challenges faced by Enjoy are indicative of a broader crisis gripping the car-sharing sector in Milan. Luigi Licchelli, president of the Assosharing association, highlighted the severe financial pressures on the industry in a statement to Corriere:
“Car sharing is extremely expensive: in addition to the purchase or leasing contract for the car, you have to pay insurance, vehicle management costs, maintenance, vandalism damages, and even the fee to the Municipality… incentives are needed, dedicated parking spaces, and the fee for rental vehicles must be eliminated. At a national level, we ask for the reduction of VAT from 22% to 10%.”
This sentiment is echoed by recent developments in the market. Another major player, Zity, has already announced its departure from Milan, citing unsustainable operating conditions. Free2move has also significantly reduced its fleet, further underscoring the difficulties faced by car-sharing providers. This precarious situation suggests that without decisive regulatory intervention, urban mobility in Milan could be severely impacted. The crisis is compounded by a noticeable shift in the habits of Milanese citizens, with daily rentals plummeting from 17,000 in 2017 to just over 8,000 in 2024.
The Broader Implications for Urban Mobility
The changes implemented by Enjoy, alongside the struggles of other car-sharing companies, highlight a critical juncture for Milan’s urban planning and environmental goals. Car sharing was once lauded as a sustainable solution to reduce private car ownership, traffic congestion, and air pollution. However, if the current trend continues, the city risks losing a vital component of its integrated transport system.
The question arises: are the municipal regulations and associated costs disproportionately burdening car-sharing operators, making their services economically unviable? While the city aims to manage traffic and emissions, the unintended consequence might be a regression towards higher private car usage, especially for those who relied on the flexibility of services like Enjoy’s free-floating option.
Experts suggest that a collaborative approach between city authorities and car-sharing providers is essential. This could involve re-evaluating municipal fees, exploring dedicated parking solutions, and potentially offering tax incentives to ensure the sustainability of these services. Without such measures, Milan risks undermining its own efforts to promote greener and more efficient urban transport.
What Does This Mean for Milanese Citizens?
For the average Milanese citizen, these changes translate into reduced convenience and potentially higher costs. The loss of free-floating means more planning is required for rentals, and the added expenses for Area C and parking will make car sharing a less attractive option for short trips within the city center. This could disproportionately affect those who do not own a private vehicle but occasionally rely on car sharing for specific needs or as a complement to public transport.
The long-term impact could be a decline in car-sharing usage, pushing more people back towards private car ownership or increasing reliance on an already strained public transport system. This scenario runs counter to the vision of a modern, sustainable European city.
Milan, a city often at the forefront of innovation, now faces a critical challenge in balancing urban regulation with the needs of a dynamic and evolving mobility sector. The survival and success of car sharing, and indeed the broader push for sustainable urban mobility, will depend on how effectively these challenges are addressed in the coming months and years.
Source: https://www.virgilio.it/motori/notizie/enjoy-nuove-regole-car-sharing-milano-gennaio-2026/307881/
