Smart move
Chinese bikesharing pioneers go global
Ofo and Mobike, China’s two largest bike- sharing companies, have sought global expansion and spread smart- commuting to more cities in the world.
Ofo has established presence in 150 cities and registered 2 billion journeys so far. It has expanded out of China to the US, the UK, Singapore and Kazakhstan, the company told Xinhua.
Ofo founder Zhang Siding said he planned to expand to 20 countries by the end of the year.
“Our trial run in some overseas cities went rather well. Many communities, for example in Cambridge in the UK, were found to be satisfied with the performance of the bikes,” Zhang told Xinhua in an interview.
Since Ofo launched its service in Singapore in February, the number of users has reached 100,000, and daily orders are at 20,000, he said.
“The bike is like a globally recognized language. Shared bikes represent freedom and convenience of ride, which is what many people need, not only in China but also globally,” he said.
Ofo’s rival Mobike has also joined the race for global expansion.
Mobike has reached 100 cities globally, including Manchester and Salford. Founder Hu Weiwei has huge ambitions to expand its service to 200 cities in 2017.
The company said its services were now available in Singapore, the UK and Japan. Mobike has set up a company in Japan to oversee business there, Hu said.
On June 22, Mobike announced it has established a Japanese subsidiary, Mobike Japan Ltd, in Fukuoka city, with plans to begin services in the city later in the year.
According to a press release sent to the Global Times on June 22, Soichiro Takashima, mayor of Fukuoka city, said, “We welcome Mobike’s easy- touse bike- sharing service in Fukuoka city, which adds vibrancy to the city’s long- established cultural heritage. With Mobike’s bike- share platform, Fukuoka residents, as well as local and foreign tourists, can enjoy greater mobility and convenience when traveling around the city. We look forward to the benefits Mobike will bring with the reduction of automobiles, and the positive impact Mobike’s eco- friendly bike- sharing service can make.”
The company later launched operations in the city of Sapporo in collaboration with “No Maps,” a Sapporo-based organization representing the public and private sectors of Hokkaido, said in another statement sent to the Global Times on June 23.
“Mobike has put 1,000 smart bikes in Manchester and Salford in Britain, and will increase the number in the future,” Hu said.
In Manchester, the deposit for the bikes is 49 pounds and fully refundable. Users are charged 50 pence per 30 minutes.
Using specially designed bikes equipped with GPS and proprietary smart- lock technology, Mobike enables users of its smartphone app to find a bike near them, reserve and unlock it. After reaching their destination, the user parks the bike by the roadside and locks it, automatically making the bike available to the next rider.
Mobike was first launched in Shanghai in April 2016, and has since expanded across China and into Singapore, the UK, and now Japan. In 14 months, the company’s operations have expanded to over 100 cities and more than 100 million registered users, with 5 million bikes in operation and 25 million rides per day at peak times.
Steve Pyer, Mobike’s manager in Britain, said Manchester would be a window to show the changes that bicycles can bring to a city and to see how city planners can benefit from data generated by smart cycling.
He said Mobike was discussing business with many cities in Europe.
“Chinese companies make smart and cool bikes, and now is a good time to promote cycling culture globally with the support of mobile technology,” said Hu.
“When developing the overseas market, the most important thing to do is to gain understanding from the government and persuade them have a try of the cycling mode,” said Ofo’s Zhang. “In the overseas market, we usually start tests in a small area to fully understand user habits, and obtain trust and support from government supervisors.”
Both companies have devised customized services for different cities.
“Ofo made modifications in the size of bike frames and lights, and arranged additional sockets for drinking bottles,” Zhang said.
Some countries require riders to wear helmets, and the companies need to properly warn their users before they use the bikes.
As bike- sharing pioneers, both companies said there was no existing model to copy and they must address challenges as they meet them.
To prevent bikes from being stolen, Mobike uses a customized design for bicycle parts and installs GPS positioning device.
“Mobike is a Chinese brand. While expanding into other markets, we should optimize the service to the best of our ability by fully understanding local transportation, traffic rules, and user habits and needs,” Hu said. “We also need to work closely with traffic supervisors to improve operations, and minimize hindrance to pedestrians.”