South Korean car-sharing startup SOCAR entered the Malaysian market in January of this year, the first country in its Southeast Asian expansion. Aiming to bridge the gap in the existing multi-flex transport system, the on-demand car-sharing service has also become an alternative to ride-sharing and e-hailing services like Grab, MyCar and now defunct Uber.
Starting with over 200 cars around the Klang Valley and Cyberjaya, the service plans to grow to a fleet of 1,000 cars by the end of the year. The next logical step in its strategy, is to expand into other cities like Johor and Penang.
Malaysian commuters face challenges in the first- and last- mile of their journeys, and it isn’t uncommon to use multiple modes of transport and public transport, hence the term “multi-flex.” In many ways, ride-sharing services like Grab and Uber have helped “fill in the blanks” so to speak, connecting the MRT, Monorail or LRT, buses and taxi services. Let’s also not forget bike-sharing services like Obike and Mobike that have entered the fray to solve this last mile puzzle.
It’s crucial that a service like SOCAR works closely with the local authorities and the government, so that the car-sharing platform can complement existing transportation infrastructure. So far, SOCAR has been able to place its cars at major public transport hubs in the Klang Valley, as well as major buildings and complexes.
SOCAR is highly-affordable, with rates starting from as low as MYR8 per hour. There are currently four types of cars offered, including the Perodua Axia, Honda City, Honda HR-V and the popular MINI 3-door. Expect more types of cars to be added to the fleet soon.
The great thing about it is that petrol is included in the fee (up go 30km per hour) and you’ll never have to worry about parking because there’s always a designated parking for you.
Everything runs from the SOCAR app – from first registering for an account, adding your credit card details, booking a car, to unlocking the booked car.
So, now that you’ve got a better picture about SOCAR, here’s something to entice you to try the service out.
Book, unlock, drive, win!
SOCAR is giving away a spanking new Huawei P20 Pro smartphone, yes the one with the amazing camera (the best by far according to DxOMark), worth MYR3,299.
- Follow these simple steps to stand a chance to win:
- Follow SOCAR Malaysia on Facebook and Instagram @socarmy
- Download the SOCAR My App for iOS and Android
- Sign up as a member
- Complete 1 reservation on your preferred SOCAR to stand a chance to win.
Use promo code P20Love to enjoy MYR10 off your first booking.
The contest ends on 30 April 2018.
For more information, visit socar.my.
