Udrive, a dedicated pay-per-minute car rental platform, today announced the launch of Udrive Stations, the world’s first area-exclusive car rental station. The platform was launched in collaboration with Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), One Central and ibis One Central, in an effort to provide exclusive mobility to its users in the area.

Udrive Stations provides exclusive cars to users guaranteeing availability on-demand. The stations are geofences that have been incorporated into Udrive’s proprietary technology infrastructure and are only accessible to users of select communities. Cars hired can be picked up from any of the Udrive stations and dropped back at any of the corresponding stations. Users can also avail of customised messaging and pricing models and preferred vehicle options. The stations will make the car rental market more accessible and convenient for residents and tourists looking for a seamless solution.

Udrive Stations has launched in DWTC and will have two stations in the area — one near the World Trade Centre Residence and another near the business hub One Central — strategically covering both the residents, visitors and employees in the area.

The product is aligned with the UAE’s vision for the next 50 years and Dubai’s 2040 Urban Master Plan, which maps out a blueprint for sustainable urban development in Dubai that enhances the quality of life. One of the key objectives is to provide sustainable and flexible means of mobility — an endeavour Udrive is contributing to with the launch of Udrive Stations as car-sharing platforms have seen exponential growth worldwide as well as in the Middle East. KPMG reports almost 50% of car owners today will no longer want to own a vehicle by 2025 and ResearchAndMarkets claim 4 out of every 10 car journeys will be via car share.

Ahmed Jama, Director Traffic and Transport Management at DWTC commented on the launch, “As a trade and residential hub situated in the heart of the city, there are thousands of professionals, residents, business and leisure tourists visiting the DWTC area every day. Home to some of the country’s most prestigious exhibitions and events and high footfall throughout the year, this partnership with Udrive will contribute to streamlining mobility while supporting our efforts to provide innovative solutions to ensure a seamless driving experience for everyone in the DWTC area.”

Nicholas Watson, Co-founder and CEO of Udrive said, “With Udrive Stations, we are catering to a market that hasn’t been served before with an original and innovative product. The Udrive team has assessed the area’s demographic and developed a globally unique, affordable and convenient way to mobility, making it easier for users to access cars of their choice almost immediately. To date, Udrive records around 800 trips weekly in the DWTC area. With our initial launch here, we are investing in the UAE’s development with forward-thinking solutions that deliver great experiences and mobility for our communities.”

Anoop Dhondoo, Cluster General Manager at Ibis One Central commented on the launch, “We agree with Udrive’s philosophy that mobility is a human right. With this first-of-its-kind product, we support vehicle availability and a seamless experience to navigate the city. We are happy to foster the growth towards a smart and connected city while reducing the number of cars on our roads and reinforcing Dubai as a global destination for citizens, residents and visitors.”

The product has been in development for almost three years, with two of those dedicated solely to research into the movement of people around the city, pain points faced by commuters and visitors and the preferred mode of transport for the population. Udrive Stations users will be catered to by exclusive Customer Happiness representatives. The tech start-up has increased its fleet, workforce and partner profiles to enhance its ability to support its demand in the UAE and recently launched operations in KSA.

“On average a Udrive car is used by five people in a day. With the introduction of this product, we are effectively removing five private cars off the roads per Udrive car in our fleet. We envision this as the inception of many such stations throughout Dubai and the UAE that encourage the development of a smart, connected City of the Future, empowering convenient mobility and making the sharing experience increasingly simple and more reliable,” added Watson.

By 2026, the number of users in the car-sharing segment is expected to reach 60.7m and according to a report by Valuates, the global car-sharing market will reach US$103 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 17.2% during the forecast period. Udrive has pioneered the 24/7 digital car rental concept in the GCC via a mobile app-only approach.

To start using the service, commuters just need to download the app on Google Play, App Store or Huawei and register, or follow the instructions on the website.