The inherent "defects" of sharing cars

Even if the tuyere has arrived, the way to share a car is not an easy road. Blindly following the outlet and easily enter the game, it is really "stupid." Enterprises must “stuck”, and only by finding their own precise positioning and then deciding on the strategy for development can they gain a place in the competition.

Sharing bikes, sharing cars, sharing charging treasures, sharing umbrellas... “Share”, you can definitely climb the list of this year's online hot words.

Under the background that the sharing economy has become a new engine for service development, shared cars have long been accepted by many consumers. Some research reports pointed out that by 2030, the global shared travel market may increase by 8 times. The huge market, born with the golden signboard of the shared economy, coupled with the advantages of not having to keep a car, not using a swaying number, low cost, and ease of use, the savor of sharing cars has already arrived.

However, is this really the case?

Group incoming

The emerging business model of shared cars is gradually seeping into our lives. Earlier this month, in the area of ​​shared travel, ABB's three major brands have already “cobbled together”.

From the first half of last year to less than two years now, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW have launched time-sharing leasing services in China, revealing that the shared car has entered the overall market cultivation period.

Currently, there are two main types of shared vehicle operations companies. One is the Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW with the background of car prices, these companies are mostly owned by the company's operating models, using a heavy asset operating model, similar companies also have GreenGo green dog rental car, and EVCARD.

The other type is Internet-based companies such as car and car rental. This part of the company only provides vehicle leasing services. It mainly adopts the mode of centralized deployment and unified charging, and focuses on asset-light operations.

Using new things to describe shared cars, the wording is not very appropriate. As early as 2011, Avis has launched a "time-sharing car rental" business, introducing the shared car concept to China. However, the pace of development at that time was not fast enough. Until 2015, time-sharing players such as EVCARD, Green Dog, and Micro Bus emerged one after another, and more and more people knew and understood the shared car.

With the continuous expansion of the user base and the continuous upgrading of localized service hardware and software, the ecosystem for automobile sharing has become more mature and has risen to a new height.

Multi-benefit

Consumers are the most direct beneficiaries of shared cars. According to the data, as of the end of last year, there were 360 ​​million people holding licenses in the country, but private car ownership was only 140 million. This means that more than half of the drivers are in a car-free state. For this group of users, sharing cars can well solve their travel needs.

Sharing cars is also a means for car companies to strengthen their brand awareness. By providing consumers with a richer experience of product and service opportunities, the relationship between car companies and users will be closer, and it will be more conducive for companies to tap potential customers.

Among the existing 40-odd car rental companies, more than 90% are new energy vehicles. For this reason, shared cars have also become the most powerful booster for government promotion of new energy vehicles, and many cities have shown great enthusiasm for this.

Taking Shanghai as an example, it is planned that by the end of 2020, there will be more than 6,000 time-sharing leases for new energy vehicles and 20,000 for pure electric vehicles; Hunan will purchase non-transport units with more than 30 new energy buses for leasing operations. In accordance with the 30% of the central government's subsidies for the year, the provincial financial purchase awards will be given.

So far, the sharing of travel services has not brought real profits to the company, but it is still favored by investors. “These top investors may not be interested in quick profit, but rather want to obtain the data generated by these trips and services. By analyzing the travel habits and schedules of users and drivers, they can predict their needs and provide them with relevant information. service."

Today, there is no doubt about the subversive nature of autonomous driving technology. In many people's view, sharing a car is the best business scenario for autonomous driving. If consumers can experience the convenience of self-driving cars by sharing cars, they will greatly reduce the resistance faced by auto companies when they promote autonomous vehicles; mass travel data The continuous collection will help improve the road test platform and also facilitate the iterative upgrade of the automatic driving technology. The rapid development of shared cars will inevitably promote the development of self-driving cars.

Born "defect"

The bright future has led many companies to rush, but the real outbreak of shared cars has not yet arrived. The challenges in development must not be underestimated. The biggest "stumbling block" is the sharing of the car itself. There is no mature profit model, and it even determines the life and death of the company.

Whether it is the purchase of vehicles, day-to-day operations, or post-maintenance maintenance, it is a significant cost to the shared car companies. Some senior executives once said that compared to large-scale profits, it is more important to talk about balance and efficiency at this stage. After all, the lack of funds has caused many companies to experience "cold weather," and even companies have fallen.

The heavy asset operating model has resulted in a very limited number of vehicles and outlets. The “difficulty of finding a car” largely cancels the impulse of many people to “early adopt”. In terms of use, most APPs sharing cars today are in the stage of development and exploration. In the end, what needs of consumers, how to set up their functions, and how to improve and upgrade them in the later stages still require manufacturers to make continuous attempts and improvements. After all, only a good experience can "hold" the user.

The security issue is the reason why the other users hesitate. Compared with traditional car rental, sharing car rental only needs to be completed through smart phones, and the convenience is extraordinary, but it is because of this convenience that it brings a great security gap. In the event of a traffic accident, there is a certain blindness in the division of responsibilities; in addition, many “taste-changers” are novice drivers, and even use other people’s accounts to carry out rental car driving without a license. Under such circumstances, the security risks are even more serious.

In addition, public acceptance and licenses are also important factors that hinder the development of shared cars. Consumers' enthusiasm for buying cars will not be weakened by the diversity of travel modes. After all, for most people, the use of vehicles can only meet the objective needs of the trip, but the owner of the car can get a feeling of absolute satisfaction at the same time as the convenience of traveling. The tightening of policies has allowed companies to apply for fewer and fewer license plates. The lack of concessions and lack of sufficient licensing resources has also become a practical problem that cannot be avoided.

Even if the tuyere has arrived, the road ahead for sharing cars is not easy. Blindly following the outlet and easily enter the game, it is really "stupid." Enterprises must “stuck”, only by first finding their own precise positioning, and then deciding on the strategy for development, it is possible to gain a place in the competition.