Didi makes first move outside mainland China with Taiwan launch

Taipei / Photo credit: Tommy / Unsplash

China’s ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing, with 450 million users across mainland China, today embarked on its first expansion.

With its Taiwan launch, Didi is going after Uber, which first launched on the island of nearly 24 million people back in 2013.

But Didi is being forced to do things differently in Taiwan, where the powerful taxi lobby has prevented ride-hailing apps from tapping into ordinary people driving their own cars. Didi is partnering with a Taiwanese firm, LEDI Technology, to run the franchise on the island using only taxi drivers.

Uber was forced to ditch its ordinary drivers in Taiwan in early 2017 after suspending operations for two months. It now uses only official limo operators.

Carpooling

The Chinese firm is rolling out two Taiwanese services in its app – Didi Taxi and Didi Hitch for carpooling.

“Taiwanese taxi drivers will benefit from better operating efficiency, lower idle time, and higher income. Initially limited to cash payment, Didi Taxi will gradually bring in diversified third-party credit cards and mobile payment options,” said the startup in a statement this evening.

“During the beta launch, Hitch riders and drivers can split fuel costs, tolls, and other expenses through cash payments with more convenient mobile payment options to follow in the near future,” it added.

Didi’s Taiwan rollout comes ahead of a much-anticipated launch in Latin America. The startup earlier this month acquired Brazil’s 99, the ride-hail app that’s Uber’s biggest rival across the region.