Updated

French automaker Citroen is shutting down its car sharing service in Berlin after struggling to compete against rivals BMW and Daimler.

Citroen Multicity Carsharing started offering electric-only vehicles for short-term rent in Berlin in 2012, later adding cars with conventional gasoline engines to its service.

Multicity's purple fleet of emission-free C-Zero vehicles were a common sight in the German capital and popular with young drivers unwilling or unable to buy their own car.

But the service was eclipsed by rival car sharing companies DriveNow and car2go, owned by German automakers BMW and Daimler respectively.

Citroen, which is part of PSA Group, said Friday that the service will end Oct. 29.