Europa Service Autovermietung

Europa Service Autovermietung was a German car-rental and mobility-services company founded in Bremen in 1965 by Heinz Detjen as Europa Service Autoverleih. It grew into a nationwide and European network of rental licensees and partner stations, and in 1997 converted into a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft) under the name Europa Service Autovermietung AG. From 1998 its headquarters were in Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The company operated as a licensor, purchasing organization and service provider for mobility partners, with an annual purchasing volume of up to 26,000 vehicles, and its network comprised more than 1,500 partner stations across Europe. In 2018 the parent Europa Service Holding AG acquired a majority stake in Starcar GmbH Kraftfahrzeugvermietung, creating the Starcar Europa Service Group as the umbrella holding. The group combined the Starcar rental brand — founded in Hamburg in 1987 by Tobias Höpfner and Maik Grabow — with the Europa Service licensee and purchasing business. Under the group, Starcar operated its own rental stations in Germany and was represented through more than 500 partner stations in Germany, while the European network exceeded 1,500 partner stations. The group also included subsidiaries such as Starcar Outlet Cars, Starcar Mobility, Ars Auto Rent Systems and White Label Hamburg. In 2022 the company changed its name to Europa Service Mobility Partners AG. In 2023 the group began expanding into the tourism sector, opening its first airport station at Cologne/Bonn Airport. However, in October 2025 insolvency proceedings were opened over several group companies, beginning with Star Car GmbH Kraftfahrzeugvermietung and followed by the parent Starcar Europa Service Group AG and further subsidiaries including Europa Service Rent a Car GmbH and Europa Service Mobility Partners AG. After no investor was found in early December 2025, the insolvency administrator decided in January 2026 to wind down the group, affecting 615 full-time employees.

Europa Service Autovermietung traces its origins to 1965, when Heinz Detjen founded the ES Autovermietung GmbH in Bremen under the name Europa Service Autoverleih. The company later renamed itself and expanded in the German car-rental market. In 1988, Unix Rent GmbH & Co. KG was established in Wiesbaden. Six years later, in 1994, the two companies merged to form RC Rental Cooperation GmbH & Co. Autovermietung KG. This merger marked the first time the company appeared to the automotive industry as a unified buyer; the resulting high purchase volumes led to significantly improved purchasing conditions for affiliated licensees. In 1997 the company converted into a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft) and changed its name to Europa Service Autovermietung AG. Since 1998 its headquarters were in Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The company operated as a mobility service provider with more than 1,500 partner stations across Europe, acting as a licensor, purchasing organization and service provider for mobility partners, with an annual purchasing volume of up to 26,000 vehicles. In 2018, Europa Service Holding AG acquired a majority stake in Starcar GmbH Kraftfahrzeugvermietung. This merger created the parent company Starcar Europa Service Group, under which six subsidiaries were organized: Starcar, Starcar Outlet Cars, Starcar Mobility, Europa Service Mobility Partners, Ars Auto Rent Systems and White Label Hamburg. The Starcar brand itself had been founded in Hamburg in 1987 by Tobias Höpfner and Maik Grabow and had grown to operate 96 own stations in Germany plus more than 500 partner stations, making it one of the ten best-known car-rental companies in Germany. The group rented cars, trucks and campers. In 2022 the company changed its name to Europa Service Mobility Partners AG. In 2023 the Starcar Europa Service Group began expanding into the tourism sector, opening its first airport station at Cologne/Bonn Airport, and announced it would continue this expansion. In October 2025, insolvency proceedings were opened over several group companies. On 24 October 2025, proceedings began for Star Car GmbH Kraftfahrzeugvermietung, directly affecting around 1,100 employees. On 27 October 2025, the parent Starcar Europa Service Group AG followed. On 28 October 2025, the Hamburg Local Court opened proceedings for further group companies, including Europa Service Rent a Car GmbH and Europa Service Mobility Partners AG. In early December 2025 it became known that no investor could be found. In January 2026 the insolvency administrator decided to wind down the corporate group, affecting 615 full-time employees.

• 2023

  Expansion into tourism sector; first airport station opened at Cologne/Bonn Airport.

• 2022

  Company renamed Europa Service Mobility Partners AG.

• 2018

  Europa Service Holding AG acquires majority stake in Starcar GmbH Kraftfahrzeugvermietung, forming Starcar Europa Service Group.

• 1998

  Headquarters moved to Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia.

• 1997

  Conversion into a stock corporation and renaming to Europa Service Autovermietung AG.

• 1994

  Merger of ES Autovermietung and Unix Rent to form RC Rental Cooperation GmbH & Co. Autovermietung KG.

• 1988

  Unix Rent GmbH & Co. KG established in Wiesbaden.

• 1987

  Starcar founded in Hamburg by Tobias Höpfner and Maik Grabow.

• 1965

  ES Autovermietung GmbH founded in Bremen by Heinz Detjen as Europa Service Autoverleih.

• Insolvency proceedings opened over Star Car GmbH Kraftfahrzeugvermietung.

• Insolvency proceedings opened over Starcar Europa Service Group AG.

• Insolvency proceedings opened over Europa Service Rent a Car GmbH and Europa Service Mobility Partners AG.

• No investor found for the group.

• Insolvency administrator decides to wind down the group with 615 full-time employees.

Mobility service provider for mobility service providers; licensor, purchasing organization and service provider with a European partner-station network.

• Vehicle rental (short and long term)

  Rental of passenger cars, trucks and campers for private and business customers.

• Vehicle purchase and sale

  Purchase and sale of vehicles as part of the group's mobility services.

• Mobility partner services

  Services for mobility partners, including licensing and purchasing organization.

1. 1Starcar Europa Service Group – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
2. 2Europa Service Autovermietung – Wikidatawikidata.org