India Drove a Maruti Swift the Most in 2023, According to Zoomcar Trends Report
In the age of digitization, India has experienced significant growth in terms of convenience and mobility through apps. According to a recent report by Zoomcar, India’s leading marketplace for car sharing, the self-drive car rental industry has seen a substantial rise of over 3 times in the past 5 years, even despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2021.
The report unveils a shift in consumer mindset, with individuals increasingly seeking control over their travel experiences and opting for the freedom, convenience, and privacy offered by self-drive cars. In 2023, approximately 4 out of every 100 people in India, who are capable of driving, preferred renting a car over other modes of transportation. An impressive 84 percent of those individuals reported a 4+ star experience when renting from Zoomcar.
Among the top cities embracing the concept of self-driving cars, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai take the lead over traditional options such as taxis or even personal vehicle ownership. The report also highlights the variety of cars favored by Indians, with the top 5 cars being a mix of hatchbacks, SUVs, and sedans including the Maruti Swift, Renault Triber, Maruti Ertiga, Hyundai i10, and Tata Tiago. Interestingly, each city has its preferred car models as well, with Mumbaikars favoring the Baleno, Delhiites preferring the Fortuner, and residents of Goa frequently booking the Thar.
The report also uncovers some notable statistics that exemplify the popularity of self-drive cars in India. For instance, Indians collectively traveled a staggering 145 times the distance to Mars in terms of kilometers covered. Additionally, Bengaluru stands out as the city with the highest self-drive usage, while a user from Hyderabad drove 17 different cars in 2023, spending only 2.4 lakhs. Two Bengaluru users made impressive records: one user earned over 41 lakhs in a single year by hosting their car on Zoomcar, while another individual booked a car 944 times over the past decade.
The data also reveals a significant increase in earnings for local hosts who choose to share their cars on the platform. In just one year, there has been a boom of over 150 crore rupees in income for these hosts. Zoomcar switched to a peer-to-peer marketplace model in 2021, allowing individuals to monetize their own vehicles. This trend is set to continue in 2024, with an average of 5 new cars being listed on the platform every hour.
Greg Moran, CEO and Co-Founder of Zoomcar, expressed his excitement about the findings and the growth of the self-drive car industry in India. He stated, It’s been over a decade of building and helping India find the most trusted self-drive car for a convenient and flexible travel experience. We are excited to share these interesting facts and learnings on India’s growth in this industry. The mind-blowing data further strengthens our passion to continue providing a quality experience with every booking as we approach our IPO.
It is worth mentioning that Zoomcar recently announced its plans to go public via a merger with Innovative International Acquisition Corp, a blank-check firm, aiming for a NASDAQ listing.
In conclusion, the Zoomcar Trends Report sheds light on the remarkable growth of the self-drive car rental industry in India. Indians are increasingly opting for the convenience and freedom offered by self-drive cars, with Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai leading the way. The popularity of various car models, including the Maruti Swift, reflects the diversity of preferences among users. The report also highlights individuals who have made impressive records in their usage and earnings on the platform. With Zoomcar’s plans to go public, the future looks promising for the self-drive car rental industry in India.
