The convenience of keyless car sharing has revolutionized local, hourly errands. However, planning a Keyless Car Sharing Road Trip requires a different approach. You must consider mileage caps, rental duration, and the reliability of the digital key for multi-day journeys. When deciding on the best keyless car sharing app for long-distance travel, your choice depends entirely on your needs:

1. Turo: Best for Specific Vehicles and Long Duration

Turo is the largest peer-to-peer (P2P) car rental marketplace. It operates similarly to Airbnb for cars.

  • Keyless Feature: Many cars use the “Turo Go” feature, which allows app-based unlocking, bypassing the host. Hosts who use digital access (like MoboKey) offer a superior, contactless experience.

  • Road Trip Advantage: Turo trips are generally day-based and offer discounts for week- or month-long bookings. You can choose the exact make and model you want for comfort on a long drive.

  • The Mileage Factor: Crucially, most Turo rentals have a mileage cap. If you plan a very long trip, you may need to purchase an “unlimited mileage” Extra to avoid hefty distance overage fees.

2. Zipcar: Best for All-Inclusive, Fixed Costs (But Limited Mileage)

Zipcar is a subscription-based, station-based service that works well for round-trip rentals.

  • Keyless Feature: Zipcar is fundamentally keyless, using an app or membership card to unlock the car.

  • Road Trip Advantage: Zipcar’s all-inclusive pricing is ideal for peace of mind. The rate includes fuel, insurance options, and maintenance.

  • The Mileage Factor: All Zipcar trips typically include 200 miles per day with most plans. Any mileage overage is billed at $\$0.67$ per mile. This fixed cap makes it less ideal for cross-country trips but perfect for weekend getaways that stay under the 200-mile-per-day limit.

3. Getaround: Best for Quick, Local, Multi-Day Trips

Getaround is a P2P service known for instant, app-based, contactless booking.

  • Keyless Feature: Getaround uses its “Connect” hardware to allow customers to unlock the car directly from their phone.

  • Road Trip Advantage: The app-unlock process is fast, making it ideal if you need a vehicle immediately for several days. However, long-distance policies and mileage caps must be checked, as their focus is typically on hourly/daily rentals.

The MoboKey Advantage for Hosts

For hosts using a Keyless Car Sharing Road Trip model on a platform like Turo, MoboKey provides the essential technology to manage these high-value, multi-day trips securely.

  • Remote Engine Kill: MoboKey’s security features include a remote engine kill switch. This allows the host to remotely disable the vehicle in case of unauthorized use or a severe policy violation during a long-distance trip.

  • Superior Contactless Handoff: MoboKey allows hosts to offer a superior contactless experience that renters value. This is essential for maintaining high ratings on Turo.

  • No Recurring Fees: MoboKey offers a one-time purchase for the device, eliminating the monthly subscription fees often associated with other keyless telematics systems. This helps hosts maximize earnings on multi-day rentals.

Conclusion: Keyless is Flexible for Distance

When planning a road trip using a keyless car sharing app, the decision rests between Turo’s flexibility in vehicle choice and Zipcar’s all-inclusive, predictable pricing. Regardless of the platform, the digital key technology ensures your trip starts without the hassle of a key handover.

Ready to offer or experience a secure, keyless rental for your next long-distance adventure?

Choose MoboKey: Digital Key Technology and take control of your fleet—remotely, securely, and effortlessly.

Download the MoboKey application on the App Store or Play Store.