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Foxconn Offers Electric Car Rental Service In China
Taco Cowboy writes: Foxconn plans to expand its electric-car rental business in ten more cities in China. Since starting the business in Beijing last year, they have launched similar services in Hangzhou and Changzhou. Another business in Guiyang will open with 100 electric vehicles in July. The service is activated through an app, website, or WeChat platform, and customers will be able to use the car with a QR code. The vehicles come equipped with internet connectivity and warns drivers of low battery and shows the nearest charging stations. The company is also working on a platform for the operation of new energy vehicles saying: "Foxconn's telematics devices have also entered BMW's supply chain, and the company is also shipping 17-inch in-car displays to Tesla. Additionally, Foxconn has also teamed up with China-based Chery to supply the automaker with digital dashboards, telematics devices, wireless charging boards and vehicle safety systems."
People have been predicting for years that self-driving cars will cause car ownership to plummet, as renting a car becomes cheaper than owning one. But that is not what Foxconn is doing. They are just renting normal electric cars. You still have to drive them. This doesn't really compete with taxis. It just competes with gas powered rental cars. It isn't even news, since they have been renting electric cars for a few years already. They are just expanding to some additional cities.