Udrive, a dedicated pay-per-minute car rental service, opened its services today (April 24) in Abu Dhabi, UAE with a launch offer of a free drive up to a maximum of four hours until April 26.

The new service is in line with the Department of Transport’s plans to enhance and develop the transportation network and infrastructure in Abu Dhabi.

In the initial roll-out, Udrive will provide 100 vehicles with free inclusions of fuel, parking and comprehensive insurance for all its members. The current fleet includes the newest models of Toyota Yaris, Peugeot 208, Nissan Tiida, Nissan Sunny, Ford EcoSport, Ford Figo, Chevrolet Spark, Chevrolet Aveo and Kia Picanto.

Further, 5 per cent of the fleet will comprise electric cars. Cars can be driven per minute or per day, depending on what suits the user. The user can take a car from anywhere and drive anywhere he or she chooses to. The car needs to be returned to the same city from where it was picked up.

Hasib Khan, CEO and founder of Udrive said: “We would like to thank the Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi for their continued support and cooperation to help us introduce this service to the Emirate.”

“With Udrive’s new rental scheme ‘the more you drive, the more you save’, the service supports all kinds of public mobility requirements. Whether you need to run quickly for a meeting or spend the whole day driving around the city, Udrive is the right option. You decide if you want to use the service for a minute or a day. We are also planning to allow customers to drive from Abu Dhabi to Dubai or Sharjah and end your trip there against an additional fee,” he added.

Udrive’s rental service can be accessed via a dedicated smartphone app. Vehicles can be rented 24/7 at a point nearest to the driver’s location via the Udrive app. The vehicle selected can be unlocked using a smartphone or the optional personal membership card. This keyless access through a mobile phone, and the ability to park for free across permitted key areas of the city along with free fuel makes it easy for customers to travel wherever they like.

The rental service will provide a simple and straight forward pricing scheme, where members only pay for what they use. The service costs 50 Fils plus VAT per minute and is capped at Dh135 ($36.75) offering commuters with an affordable option to travel from anywhere to everywhere in the city and at any time.

To start using the service, customers need to download the app and register or follow registration instructions on the website. All they need is an Emirates ID, Driving License and Debit/Credit card. Customers who do not possess their own card may pay for this service using someone else’s card with full authorisation or contact the Udrive team for cash payment. Tourists can also avail of this service, using their passport instead of Emirates ID. They must also possess a valid International Driving License, at least a year old and recognised by the UAE government.

With more than 25,000 registered customers, Udrive currently records 700 trips per day. Till date, the service has logged over 150,000 trips since inception in January 2017. Udrive’s rental service is also available in Dubai and has been recently launched in Sharjah to meet the customers’ needs and provide flexibility, comfort and freedom while driving. – TradeArabia News Service