icon of white x
PropertiesNorth east icon of an arrow in teal colour
InsightsNorth east icon of an arrow in teal colour
SustainabilityNorth east icon of an arrow in teal colour
FAQsNorth east icon of an arrow in teal colour
ContactNorth east icon of an arrow in teal colour

Sustainability

Maximum mobility. Minimum impact.

At Outbound, we’re on a mission to create transport experiences that offer complete freedom of movement without compromising the seamlessness of our lives, the connectedness of our cities and the health of our planet. In fact, we’re here to uplift it all.

We know it’s important for you to find a mobility service that aligns with your ethics. That's why we're committed to a steadfast net-zero emissions plan that limits Outbound’s carbon emissions at all stages of your premium journey

A fully electrified affair

Electric vehicles (EVs) are an important part of meeting global climate change goals and feature prominently in mitigation pathways that limit warming to well-below 2C or 1.5C.

EVs are responsible for considerably lower emissions over their lifetime than combustion engine vehicles. In Australia, with coal-intensive electricity generation, the benefits of EVs are smaller and they can have similar lifetime emissions to the most efficient conventional vehicles. However, as our society decarbonises power generation to meet climate targets, driving emissions will fall for existing EVs and manufacturing emissions will fall for new EVs.

We’re setting the hallmarks today for a sustainable tomorrow.

100% carbon-neutral trips

For every kilometre driven in an Outbound vehicle, we invest in carbon offsetting solutions that either sequester carbon, such as tree planting; or reduce emissions, such as wind farms, that replace coal-fired power stations.

EVs are responsible for considerably lower emissions over their lifetime than combustion engine vehicles. In Australia, with coal-intensive electricity generation, the benefits of EVs are smaller and they can have similar lifetime emissions to the most efficient conventional vehicles. However, as our society decarbonises power generation to meet climate targets, driving emissions will fall for existing EVs and manufacturing emissions will fall for new EVs.

We’re setting the hallmarks today for a sustainable tomorrow.

No more ‘one car per person’

Private vehicle use is one of the world’s biggest sources of greenhouse gases, with emissions rising every year.

By normalising electrical vehicle rentals and share services, Outbound strives to reduce the number of vehicles per capita and the emissions associated with vehicle production and fuel consumption. Typically, every shared car takes up to 15 other cars off the road.

But Outbound isn’t just about car rental and sharing. We also provide micro-mobility options because so many of the trips we take don’t even require a car. By choosing the appropriate vehicle for the trip, we further increase the efficiency of our mobility systems and reduce the impact on our environment.

Advancing the e-mobility supply chain

Electric cars that are shared or rented have clear environmental advantages when they are being used, thanks to their low emissions. However, these cars can also have some negative effects on the environment and society due to the way their batteries are produced.

Evaluating the overall sustainability of these cars is challenging because their production involves complex factors that vary from one region to another, including technology, local environment, market conditions, and social factors. Despite these challenges, we are focusing on collaborating with manufacturers who are committed to being transparent, providing traceable supply chains, and aiming for ambitious zero-emission objectives. This partnership approach is helping us move closer to a genuinely sustainable solution for transportation, even with the global complexities involved.

A proud partnership with One Tree Planted

Every time passengers choose to ride with us, they aren't simply going from point A to point B. They are also making a meaningful contribution to tree planting initiatives in Australia through our valued partnership with One Tree Planted.

One Tree Planted is widely recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that leads the way in reforestation efforts worldwide. Their strategic tree-planting projects aim to restore ecosystems and fortify environmental resilience.

By embracing this straightforward sustainability solution, we wholeheartedly support One Tree Planted's mission of contributing to a greener future, as well as highlighting the vital role of trees to foster a collective sense of responsibility towards the preservation of our natural world.

Our commitment to sustainable transportation

At Outbound, we are on a mission to create mobility experiences that provide you with the freedom of movement you need, while reducing the impact that cars have on our lives, cities, and planet.

We know how important it is for you to find a mobility service that aligns with your ethics. That's why we've committed to a net-zero emissions plan from the start to limit as much carbon as possible from our service.

North east icon of an arrow in teal colour

We only offer electric vehicles

Electric vehicles (EVs) are an important part of meeting global climate change goals and feature prominently in mitigation pathways that limit warming to well-below 2C or 1.5C.
EVs are responsible for considerably lower emissions over their lifetime than combustion engine vehicles. In Australia, with coal-intensive electricity generation, the benefits of EVs are smaller and they can have similar lifetime emissions to the most efficient conventional vehicles - but as we decarbonise power generation to meet climate targets, driving emissions will fall for existing EVs and manufacturing emissions will fall for new EVs.

We enable 100% carbon neutral trips

For every kilometre driven in an Outbound vehicle, we invest in carbon offsetting solutions that either sequester carbon, such as tree planting; or reduce emissions, such as wind farms that replace coal-fired power stations.
We measure and offset Outbound’s greenhouse gas emissions, delivering our hosts and users carbon-neutral emission-free mobility solutions.

We tackle the ‘one car per person’ challenge

Private vehicle use is one of the world’s biggest sources of greenhouse gases, with emissions rising every year.
By making shared vehicles the ‘normal’, we can reduce the number of vehicles per capita and the emissions associated with vehicle production and fuel consumption. Typically, every shared car takes up to 15 other cars off the road.
But Outbound isn’t just about carsharing. We provide micromobility options too because so many of the trips we take don’t require a car. By choosing the appropriate vehicle for the trip, we further increase the efficiency of our mobility systems and reduce the impact on our climate.

We advance the e-mobility supply chain

While shared electric cars have exceptional sustainability benefits during use, they can be associated with various negative environmental impacts and social risks in their supply chain, especially due to the batteries.
A true sustainability assessment of such products with global supply chains is complicated due to regional differences of technology, environment, markets, and societies - but we are prioritising partnerships with manufacturers that have transparent, traceable and ambitious zero-emission goals to enable us to advance towards a truly sustainable mobility solution.

FAQs

What does ‘net-zero’ even mean?
grey icon of plus

Net-zero means achieving a balance between the emissions we put into our atmosphere and those taken out. Think of it like a set of scales: producing greenhouse gas emissions tips the scales, and we want to get those scales back into balance, which means no more greenhouse gas can be added to the atmosphere in any given year than is taken out. This state is also referred to as carbon neutral.

To achieve this we need to simultaneously limit the emissions we produce and offset any we do produce by processes that reduce greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere such as carbon sequestration.

‘Zero-emissions’ and ‘zero-carbon’ are slightly different, as they usually mean that no emissions were produced in the first place.

What about our dirty coal-based Australian power grid?
grey icon of plus

It’s true that charging from the grid does cause emissions (and Australia’s grid is particularly carbon-intensive), but it’s still a much cleaner option than petrol and diesel cars.

Internal combustion engine vehicles produce emissions both from the tailpipe and during the distribution of fuel.

It’s estimated that electric vehicles use about 30% fewer emissions whilst being charged on the grid. With more renewables entering the system every day, electric vehicles emissions will keep dropping as the electricity grid gets cleaner.

Are people actually going to give up their personal cars and use Outbound?
grey icon of plus

Whilst it won’t be for everyone, private cars sit idle 96% of the time and the conditions are ripe for a change in behaviour. We believe that an accessible, convenient, cost-effective and attractive alternative solution will accelerate the transition away from car ownership.

Where are Outbound vehicles available?
grey icon of plus

We’re currently building our fleet and testing our service in Queensland, Australia. In the future, we plan to expand across Australia and internationally.