Car sharing app launches in Beijing

Several cars on Atzuche's platform are on display at the launch ceremony in Beijing on May 18, 2015. [Photo by Du Xiaoying/chinadaily.com.cn]

Person to person, or P2P, car sharing mobile application provider Atzuche.com's service hit the Beijing market on May 18.

The company provides a platform for private car owners to rent their vehicles, with insurance and credit guarantees offered and managed by the company.

"The P2P car rental model fits in with the trend of a sharing economy. The model will lead to a whole new lifestyle in China as it gives people more choices of how to use their cars in a more environmentally friendly and interesting way," said Chen Weiyu, co-founder and CEO of Atzuche.com.

According to Chen, the company has experienced huge growth and now boasts almost 1 million members, more than 30,000 vehicles and about 7,000 different car models after the service was launched in Shanghai in May 2014.

As one of the first players in the niche market in China, Atzuche.com offers services in several cities including Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. It plans to expand the business to more cities in North China in the future.

For customers who want to hire a car, prices will be about 30 to 50 percent lower than large car rental companies, according to Atzuche.com. The app will help people find their favorite cars at the closest distance to them.

The company's investor Xu Xiaoping said that car sharing could help make use of excessive resources and change the lifestyles and views of people focused on material wealth.

Xu said two of his cars, a BMW and a Tesla, are on Atzuche's platform for rent.

The platform's 7,000 models range from Buicks and Hondas to Ferraris and Maseratis.