Ranchi: Borrow a brand new car, drive it for business or fun and rent it out when idle. Sounds too good to be true? Well, it is a real deal. A Bangalore-based rental company for self-driven vehicles is soon going to offer capital residents the lucrative options.
Zoomcar, which already offers hassle-free personal cars in many cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta, will allow its customers here to subscribe to factory-fresh cars on payment of a refundable security deposit and a monthly subscription fee.
The self-drive rental has already set up an office in Pandra, on the fringes of the city. A local official, Anuj Kumar, said the "soft launch" was done a few days ago. "We have around seven cars, brought from Bangalore and Calcutta. The fleet comprises Hyundai i20, Mahindra Scorpio and KUV, and Ford Figo and EcoSport. On an average, 3-4 bookings are being made daily," he said.
Raushali Khandelwal, senior manager (corporate communications), said they were planning a full-fledged launch in Ranchi as early as August this year. "We are conducting a pilot run," she told this newspaper via email, adding that the fleet size would be increased to 15.
To rent a car, one can either download the app or visit the Zoomcar website. There are daily tariffs as well as subscription models for six to 24 months.
"Ranchi is a growing city and the largest in Jharkand. A lot of people from here make business trips to neighbouring states. In fact, our customers in Calcutta (Bengal) requested us to start the self-drive rental in Ranchi," Khandelwal stressed on the market potential.
Tariffs for rent or subscription, Kumar said, also depended on car models.
"For instance, renting a Figo for self-drive will cost Rs 70/hour on weekdays and Rs 105/hour on weekends owing to surge pricing. Tata Hexa is costlier at Rs 130/hour on weekdays and Rs 195/hour on weekends. The best part is that the rates are inclusive of everything, including fuel and insurance. There are no hidden charges," he said.
Renting a self-drive car also comes in three packages - Lite, Excel and Classic. "In Lite category, 5km are free every hour. In Classic, 10km are free every hour and in Excel, 20km," he said, adding that one could opt for home delivery and pick-up of the vehicle as well.
Rates in the subscription category start at Rs 10,000 a month and vary depending on the vehicle model. "One can own the vehicle (read subscribe) for up to 24 months. Subscription can be easily renewed," Kumar said.
What makes the proposal even more attractive is that the subscriber can earn some money back by renting out the subscribed car on the Zoomcar platform when not using it.
"A subscriber can earn 75 per cent of the revenue generated from the car while it is on the Zoomcar platform. The subscription model allows additional flexibility and convenience. The USP is zero down payment," Khandelwal said.
What if the car meets with an accident? "The maximum penalty charged as per company rules is Rs 10,000. Getting the vehicle repaired is our headache," Kumar said.
Go Ranchi, get your personal car in 48 hours, no maintenance, limited damage liability and unlimited mileage!
