Fascinated by luxury cars and yearn for the day when you will get to at least drive, if not own one?
The wait could well be over for you, as a Hyderabad start-up is offering a range of such cars and high-end power bikes for rent. Yes, the same models that whiz past on the roads making heads turn and often seen only in movies.
Driven, the start-up which describes itself as the country’s first integrated self-mobility service provider, is not just about expensive cars and bikes. Its fleet of 160 cars comprises the unassuming Nano, Swift which the co-founders say is one of the most sought-after by customers, Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, Audi RS 5, Volvo S60 T6 Polestar, mini-convertible, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar and BMW 7 Series.
Ducati, Triumph, Harley Davidson, Kawasaki, KTM, Royal Enfield, Vespa, Honda Activa and more figure in the list of 40 motorbikes the company, in operation for over six months now, in Hyderabad offers. For those health and environment conscious, the start-up has a line of bicycles, including Surly and Cannondale. Co-founders Ashwin Jain and Karrar Ahmed Taher classify their customers as those passionate about driving high-end cars and those who to build on their experience.
They were talking at the launch of Driven Cafe, on Wednesday, designed to be a destination for different types of coffee and one stop for people to choose from a range of self-drive cars, bikes and bicycles. Sixty per cent of them are return customers, says Mr. Jain, adding that besides the daily rental those taking the cars need to pay a deposit by using their credit card. The rentals range from Rs.299 to Rs. 29,999, while the deposits are from Rs.10,000 to Rs. 5 lakh. Besides, Hyderabad, Driven is in Vijayawada and Vishakhapatnam and plans to go next to Bengaluru, Pune and Chennai. “In next three years, we want to have 3,000 cars and 1,500 bikes,” he says, adding the market for such self-drive and ride vehicles is in its infancy.
But, he expects it to get into top gear from an estimated 5,000 cars now to 1 lakh cars in seven years. Besides, 14 Cafe, Driven plans to add 24 self-drive, self-ride mobility experience location in different new cities. The boot strapped firm — on which $2 million has been invested — estimates the cost of foraying into a new city at $1.5 million and is in discussion with prospective investors.
