U.S. Car Wash Service Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Tunnels, Roll-over/In-bay, Self-service), And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

Report Overview                 

The U.S. car wash service market size was valued at USD 14.21 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8% from 2021 to 2028. The demand for car wash services has been rising over the past decade due to their increased convenience and a greater array of budget and luxury options. The increasing environmental regulations prohibiting residential car washing practices are anticipated to expand the customer base for professional car washes, thereby driving the demand for the services. The market is primarily attributed to the increasing focus of consumers on vehicle maintenance and rising spending power. Busy schedules and time constraints have also led to consumers giving their vehicles to professional car washes rather than cleaning them at home. 

In the U.S., more than 72% of drivers use professional car wash services frequently and conveyor car wash is the most revenue-generating service. The on-demand car wash platform can be a good start in this industry if service providers can get the consumers to wash their cars more frequently at these service stations. Many consumers prefer washing their cars at home owing to the high expense and time consumed at car washing stations. Therefore, on-demand car wash apps can emerge as an ideal solution to reduce the time spent at car washing stations.

Increased car count at car wash stations is attributed to factors such as fewer people washing cars at home, a stronger U.S. economy, and the creation of express exterior and loyalty club-powered car wash models. According to the Professional Carwashing Industry Report, the total annual car count in 2017 stood at 45,000, while the average was over 278,000.

According to the International Carwash Association (ICA), the percentage of drivers reporting for most frequent washing of their vehicles at a professional car wash has increased from approximately 48% in 1994 to over 77% in 2019. Moreover, around 66% of Americans wash their vehicles somewhere between 1-2 times per month, resulting in 13 washes per year on an average.

Speed and convenience are the two major benefits car washing businesses offer and as a result, there has been a vast decline in the percentage of U.S. consumers washing their cars at home. The trend is rapidly moving from “Do-It-Yourself” to “Do-It-For-Me”. According to a report by Professional Car Washing, about 35% of the respondents said that there were car wash stations less than a mile apart and 24% of the respondents were planning to launch their own car wash service in the next one year.

The growing trend of washing cars at service centers and the increasing expenditure on cleaning vehicle interiors are some of the major growth drivers for the U.S. market. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 worldwide has significantly impacted the business of car wash operators. As per the research conducted by Womply, an auto wash and detailing company in the U.S., the weekly revenue at the local auto wash and detail businesses were down by 48% in April 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019. Moreover, in the week of March 16, 2020, the weekly revenue was down by 53%, compared to the previous year. This factor has lowered the purchase of car wash service from the operators and owners of car wash centers in the U.S.

Type Insights                                      

In terms of value, roll-over/in-bay dominated the market with a share of 41.8% in 2020. This is attributed to the increasing penetration of auto dealerships in the car wash service industry, which has fueled the installation of automatic wash facilities on their sites. Auto dealerships add automated car washes to scale up their Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores, with in-bay washes being the most popular consumer choice. This boosts the growth of in-bay/roll-over automatic car wash services in the country.

Furthermore, automatic in-bay car washes are by far the most prevalent type of car wash in the U.S., with nearly 60,000 facilities located from coast to coast in 2018. It is a quick, convenient, and inexpensive way to clean a vehicle along with offering a variety of wash options like featuring transparent bay windows that allow onlookers to view the process of how a car is being washed. According to a blog by JBS Industries, with respect to in-bay automatic car washes, an estimated 20,000 cars are washed annually and the average sale is $6.34 per car.

The tunnels segment is expected to witness considerable growth over the forecast period. These tunnel car wash equipment systems come with various configurations, and the most popular variants are express exterior and full service. The express tunnel car wash system offers a combination of efficient cleaning and shorter wash time, which means higher service volume for the service providers. Full-service car wash thoroughly cleans the vehicles both from the inside and outside in an effective manner. This service also includes detailing. However, the initial investment for a tunnel car wash service system leads to higher startup costs and labor requirements ranging from USD 1.5 million to USD 2 million for equipment/building.

A conveyor tunnel system significantly enhances vehicle throughput or the number of cars that can be washed per hour (CPH). For instance, Royce Industries, L.C.’s tunnel car wash equipment, and conveyor car wash deliver an average of 40 to 120 CPH.

These tunnel systems require large spaces, ranging from 80 to 120 feet in length on average. Thus, stand-alone washes lend themselves to tunnel systems because there is more room to spread out and accommodate the tunnel length and the line of cars waiting for a wash.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights        

The U.S. market is characterized by the presence of various players. These players face intense competition as there are many participants present in the market and offer different packages to attract customers.

Players are expanding their reach by means of acquisitions and expansions to gain a foothold in the market. For instance, in October 2020, Zips Car Wash announced its expansion into Marion, North Carolina as a part of its aggressive growth strategy. Zips Car Wash will offer free top washes from October 9–18 and USD 1 Unlimited Wash Club Memberships for the first month.

According to the International Car Wash Group (ICWG), the U.S. car wash market offers significant growth potential owing to the rapid rise in the number of vehicles. Every day, around 8 million vehicles are washed in the U.S., with over 2.3 billion vehicles washed annually. Thus, ICWG is rapidly acquiring small car wash businesses to build its chain in the U.S. For instance, in July 2020, ICWG acquired 8 sites from Team Clean, a brand owned by Brad Vaden and his family, which will join the Car Wash USA Express brand across Arkansas and Tennessee. It also acquired Wash N Shine in Philadelphia, owned by Lee Wheatley, to expand its business across the U.S. Some prominent players in the U.S. car wash service market include:

• Zips Car Wash

• International Car Wash Group (ICWG)

• Quick Quack Car Wash

• True Blue Car Wash

• Super Star Car Wash

• Wash Depot Holdings Inc.

• Autobell Car Wash, Inc.

• Hoffman Car Wash & Hoffman Jiffy Lube

• Splash Car Wash

• The Wash Tub

U.S. Car Wash Service Market Report Scope 

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue at the country level and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2016 to 2028. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the U.S. car wash service market report on the basis of type:

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

  • Tunnels

  • Roll-over/In-bay

  • Self-service