Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    BEIJING-BASED ride-hailing service Didi Chuxing announced yesterday it has invested “tens of millions of U.S. dollars” in ofo, China’s largest bicycle-sharing platform, as part of a multi-layered partnership between the two parties in the urban mobility sector.

    Created in April 2014 on the campus of Peking University as a student startup project, ofo echoes Didi’s vision of a sharing economy where convenient use and access precedes ownership in defining the quality of future urban life.

    Applying mobile Internet technology to optimize biking resources on China’s campuses, the young ofo team has won over a robust user community and solid brand loyalty across China. Nearly 70,000 bikes are shared everyday among over 1.5 million users in 20 cities, with daily rides exceeding 500,000, making the company China’s largest and fastest growing bike-sharing platform.

    China is the world’s most complex and diversified rideshare market. It is also a market with unrivalled potential and possibilities. Both Didi and ofo are beneficiaries and practitioners of the Central Government’s new pro-innovation and pro-tech growth initiative. As part of Didi’s open mobility ecosystem strategy, Didi and ofo will explore strategic cooperation in urban rideshare, including offering quality bike-sharing experience on Didi’s platform.

    After four years of growth, with over 15 million drivers and car-owners, together with Chinese and global business partners, Didi is now serving close to 400 million users.

    Didi aims to build a mobility ecosystem that features connectivity and sharing among people, vehicles, mobility and other aspects of life, building on a complete chain of service and flexible partnership structures, the company said.

    The deal comes as Didi recovers from a costly battle with former rival Uber China. The firm is buying Uber’s China operations to create a US$35 billion ride-hailing giant.