Zipcar partners with Equity Residential

Zipcar, a car sharing service headquartered in Cambridge, said today that it reached a deal to provide residents of apartments owned by a Chicago-based firm access to its cars.

According to a Zipcar press release, residents of apartments owned by Equity Residential, a Chicago-based company, will have exclusive access to Zipcar memberships in areas where both companies operate. Further, some Equity Residential properties in Boston, Berkeley and Washington DC will have Zipcars on site for use.

"Given the difficulty of owning a car in the city, Equity residents are a perfect fit for car sharing," said Scott Griffith, chief executive of Zipcar, in a press release. "We look forward to working with them to optimize our service for their residents."

The deal is part of Equity Residential's Perks program, which seeks to attract more tenants by providing exclusive deals with certain companies. Under the terms of this deal, Zipcar will provide Equity Residential residents with exclusive offers like $75 in free driving credit.
(By Se Young Lee, Globe correspondent)