Dubai's Udrive to offer pay-per-day car rental in DWTC area

Udrive Stations are aligned with Dubai's 2040 Urban Master Plan

Beaches will be extended by 400 per cent and 60 per cent of Dubai will be nature reserves under the 2040 plan. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Twitter

Beaches will be extended by 400 per cent and 60 per cent of Dubai will be nature reserves under the 2040 plan. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Twitter

Historical images of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Rashid, former Ruler of Dubai, at the presentation of the Dubai 2040 plan. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

The Dubai Urban Master Plan 2040, signed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, at an exhibition of the Dubai 2040 plan. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, signs the Dubai Urban Master Plan 2040. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, launches the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. Wam

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, at an exhibition of the Dubai 2040 plan. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Sixty per cent of Dubai will be covered in nature reserves, under the 2040 plan unveiled by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Twitter

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, launch the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. Wam

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, launches the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. Wam

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, launch the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. Wam

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, launched the Dubai 2040 plan with a move to overhaul the emirate's landscape. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

The Dubai Urban Master Plan 2040, signed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Since 1960, Dubai has implemented seven urban plans to keep up with the emirate's growing population. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, unveils the 2040 plan to overhaul the city's urban landscape. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Twitter

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, unveils the 2040 plan to overhaul the city's urban landscape. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Twitter

Since 1960, Dubai has brought in eight urban plans to keep up with the emirate's growing population. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Udrive, a Dubai car rental platform, has launched a service that it says will guarantee the availability of rental vehicles in areas around Dubai World Trade Centre.

The tech start-up said its two Udrive Stations — near World Trade Centre Residence and another near the business hub One Central — will guarantee that cars are available to users on demand.

Udrive described the stations as geofences that have been incorporated into its proprietary technology infrastructure.

The stations are created exclusively for people who return frequently to DWTC, such as employees, residents and multi-day visitors.

Cars are rented from the stations on a per-day basis only and must be returned back to the stations.

Customised messaging and pricing models are available, as are preferred vehicle options.

Udrive said the stations are aligned with Dubai’s 2040 Urban Master Plan, which seeks to provide sustainable and flexible means of mobility.

Nicholas Watson, Udrive co-founder and chief executive, said the new stations in DWTC "are catering to a market that hasn't been served before".

"The Udrive team has assessed the area’s demographic and developed a globally unique, affordable and convenient way to mobility, making it easier for users to access cars of their choice almost immediately.

"To date, Udrive records around 800 trips weekly in the DWTC area. With our initial launch here, we are investing in the UAE’s development with forward-thinking solutions that deliver great experiences and mobility for our communities.”

He said the average Udrive car is used by five people a day, which was "effectively removing five private cars off the roads per Udrive car in our fleet".

"We envision this as the inception of many such stations throughout Dubai and the UAE that encourage the development of a smart, connected city of the future," he said.

Car-sharing apps that allow customers to rent a vehicle by the hour, or even the minute, have been growing in popularity. The pay-by-use model helps drivers to save on insurance and maintenance costs, and car loan repayments.

KPMG estimates that almost 50 per cent of car owners today will no longer want to own a vehicle by 2025. Research and Markets claims four out of every 10 car journeys will eventually be by car share.