Expat-friendly services in Prague: peer-to-peer carsharing company, HoppyGo, provides expats with effortless car rentals.

Since 2017, the peer-to-peer car sharing platform, HoppyGo, has been providing expats in the Czech Republic with access to vehicles without the hassle typical of other car rental companies. Unlike the latter, HoppyGo connects those looking to rent a car directly with the owners, fostering a sense of community while promoting an environmentally friendly way to share unused vehicles.

In 2022, HoppyGo was added to Deloitte Technology’s Fast 50 list as the 4th fastest growing tech company in the Czech Republic, and the 11th fastest growing tech company in all of Central Europe. “[We’re] pro-utilisation, pro-expat”, explained Brian Koslowski, HoppyGo’s Chief Operating Officer. “Our company represents true car-sharing. We encourage sharing vehicles that already exist, instead of offering a fleet”.

The HoppyGo team presented its service to the expat community at this year’s Jobspin Job Fair, proving to be especially useful for them; providing the community with the convenience of driving, without the commitment or difficulties associated with car ownership.

Whether needing a vehicle for moving flats, going on vacation, or simply to try a new type of car, HoppyGo makes life as an expat far easier. Koslowski spoke on how HoppyGo’s pure P2P model assists with the varied needs of the diverse expat community.

“We’re there for you when you need a vehicle. But we’re also there for you when you need to use another vehicle”. Budget cars can be rented from as low as 200 CZK a day, but the service extends far beyond just these models. High end sports cars, EV’s, and luxury vehicles are all available to rent. Unlike fleet cars, there is an abundance of flexibility for both owners and renters.

Owners can flag a car as being usable abroad and not abroad, pet friendly or not, whether additional equipment is included or if it’s smoke-friendly or non-smoking, and can choose where to meet to hand over the keys. This flexibility, going beyond just benefiting the owners, makes the experience for users frictionless, with expats being able to choose a car that specifically fits the needs of their current situation.

HoppyGo also allows for drivers to search for exclusively English speaking owners, assisting with potential language barriers. With more than 1500 cars listed on their platform in the Czech Republic and around 1000 cars available to rent in Prague alone, there is a variety of different vehicles to choose from to suit any purpose.

The flexibility of the platform and dealing directly with the owner of the vehicle – rather than a corporation – ensures that the rental experience is tailored specifically to the needs of the customer. Whether needing to rent a car for just an afternoon or a year, HoppyGo boasts an impressive range of choices that will be able to help. Among expats, the most rented models in the last 12 months are Škoda Octavia and Fabia, Ford Transit and Fiat Ducato.

Additionally, expats are quite interested in caravans, vans, sedans and cabriolets; a wide variety of which can be found on HoppyGo. These types of vehicles are often prohibitively expensive if rented from corporate car-rental companies, and typically unavailable on other car-sharing services.

Anyone can register their vehicle on the platform, choosing which dates their vehicle will be available to rent. Complete discretion is given to the owner: they make the final decision regarding whether they will rent the car. Every make and model of car is able to generate passive income for the owners, with HoppyGo paying owners a total of 32 million CZK in 2022 alone.

Koslowski explained what makes HoppyGo unique. “There is no direct competition. We are the only peer-to-peer car sharing company in Central Eastern Europe.” Few other car rental companies can guarantee the flexibility and ease of use provided by HoppyGo: with free cancellation up to 5 days prior to the rental date, and complete control to find a car that matches the needs of a specific purpose, HoppyGo provides a pure P2P experience that is unrivalled by traditional rental companies.

HoppyGo also vets every owner and registered vehicle, ensuring that the users get exactly what they selected. With easy and free registration, HoppyGo encourages people to sign up early.

“The approval process is quite quick, and we encourage people to register even if they do not have a need for a car at that moment. You don’t always have the use case for a car, but being in the system is better for when a use-case or emergency may come up,” explained Koslowski.

Users can register for free and explore their options here