Didi Kuaidi “no longer a taxi app” as demand for private cars explodes
Last night the South China Morning Post declared that Chinese Uber-rival, Didi Kuaidi, can no longer be considered a taxi app, as demand for rides in private cars on its platform now dwarf the demand for traditional taxis. “[Didi]… is no longer a taxi app,” declared Mr. Zhu, Didi’s Vice-President of strategy at an industry conference yesterday. “Our biggest business is now private cars,” he said, adding that the company delivers 7 million rides a day, 4 million of which are private-car rides compared to just 2 million taxi journeys. The company has diversified considerably since its taxi service beginnings, adding services such as private cars, chauffeur services, carpooling and bus routes for commuters. Mr. Zhu also confirmed that Didi has recently embarked on a considerable cost-cutting strategy: ““We spend a quarter of what our competitor is spending here … More money will be spent on innovation [at Didi],” he said, in what is almost certainly a reference to Uber.

Didi Kuaidi’s Hitch service effectively lets one passenger pick up another to share costs and network. The company said it will soon match passenger profiles so that users can select co-riders they are most likely to get on with for a more enjoyable commute across China’s congested urban spreads. Photo: SCMP Pictures