New car-share competition in Vancouver

There are now two car-sharing options for Vancouver residents who choose not to buy a car of their own, with the arrival of a U.S. company that set up shop on Thursday.

Boston-basedZipcarhas100 brand new cars in a parking lot in downtown Vancouver.

The company's CEO, Scott Griffith, said he was drawn to Vancouver by its lifestyle-conscious population.

"The typical Vancouverite is someone who is interested in advancing urban lifestyle, and very interested in the environmental benefits of companies like Zipcar."

Zipcar's competition, theCo-operative Auto Network, has seen rapid growth during its decade in business, said executive director TraceyAxelsson.

"It has grown exponentially in the first few years, and at least 35 per cent in recent months. We're currently exceeding all of our expectations for growth," she said.

There are about 3,000 members of the non-profit co-op.

The two car-sharingoptions are operating side by side, with the two sets of cars just six metres apart.