China’s ‘sharing economy’ goes posh with BMWs

After seeing the huge popularity of China’s shared bicycle startups, a brand-new company in China is rolling out BMWs that you access with your phone and then pay for per kilometer.

Photo credit: Shenyang Daily.

After a returnable deposit of US$150 made through the service’s mobile app, it costs just US$0.25 per kilometer to drive off in one of the new, blue BMW 1-series sedans.

Photo credit: Shenyang Daily.

As with virtually all of China’s sharing startups – technically just rental services – the process begins with a QR code.

Photo credit: Shenyang Daily.

That leads to the startup’s app, in which you’ll see an Uber-esque screen showing nearby BMWs that are up for grabs.

Photo credit: Shenyang Daily.

Alternatively, you can rent one of its BMW 1-series sedans – a China-only model that costs from US$30,000 – for an entire day for just US$30.

Photo credit: BMW.