Wuho IPO Decoded 2: iRent Is More Than Just Car Sharing! 2 Million Members Connect Airports, High-Speed Rail, and Parking – Hotai Motors Targets the 'Mobility Gateway'

A single trip—from home to the airport, from a high-speed rail station to a tourist destination, and even last-mile parking—used to require arranging multiple separate modes of transportation. However, with the rise of MaaS (Mobility as a Service), competition in the automotive industry is shifting from 'who sells more cars' to 'who can capture more mobility scenarios.'

The strategy of Wuho Car Rental, a subsidiary of Hotai Motor, perfectly reflects this trend. Its iRent car-sharing platform has surpassed 2 million members and has been continuously expanding roadside pick-up and drop-off zones, parking networks, and travel services. It is gradually transforming from a simple car-sharing service into a key mobility gateway through which the Hotai Group engages with consumers.

Why is car-sharing now entering the travel market?

This summer, iRent expanded its roadside rental services across northern, central, and southern Taiwan. In the north, it extended service for the first time to Jiaoxi in Yilan County, broadening the use case of car-sharing from daily commuting to short-distance tourism. Additionally, iRent launched a flash pick-up and return service at Taoyuan International Airport. Members can return their vehicles to a designated partner parking lot and take a free shuttle to the airport. Upon returning to Taiwan, they can use the shuttle to return to the parking lot and retrieve their car.

While this may seem like merely adding another rental location, it actually fills the critical 'last mile' gap between the airport and final destinations.

According to iRent's usage data, popular pick-up and return locations in northern Taiwan are concentrated in urban and tourist areas such as Xinyi District and Tamsui Old Street. In central and southern Taiwan, high-speed rail stations serve as primary starting points, with tourist areas like Fengjia Night Market in Taichung and Shennong Street in Tainan seeing high usage.

This reflects a shift in car-sharing demand—from 'temporary transportation' to a hybrid mobility model combining 'public transit + car rental.' Travelers take the high-speed rail to their destination, rent a car to reach attractions, and on their return journey, drop off the car at a designated location before transferring back to public transit. For the platform, each added transportation node creates opportunities for new usage scenarios.

Why integrate four mobility services under one membership account?

Hotai Group is also leveraging its membership system to connect various services. Currently, Hotai Cloud members can access iRent car-sharing, Wuho Car Rental, Wuho Chauffeur Service, and Hi Parking. This creates a comprehensive mobility ecosystem covering short-distance commuting, long-distance rentals, airport transfers, and parking.

The core value of this model lies in the 'member.' A single member might use iRent for commuting during the week, Wuho Car Rental for weekend trips, the chauffeur service for airport transfers on international trips, and Hi Parking upon return. When different services are centralized within one membership system, the company can shift from one-time transactions to long-term customer engagement.

For mobility service providers, member count is just the first step. More importantly, they must focus on usage frequency and cross-service conversion rates.

To this end, iRent has recently introduced subscription plans, hourly packages, discounts on popular vehicle models, and member-exclusive gift bundles to boost usage frequency. Simultaneously, it uses AI and data analytics for vehicle dispatch optimization, improving fleet utilization efficiency. This transformation turns car-sharing from a simple 'vehicle rental' service into a 'platform operation.'

Once Wuho Car Rental officially goes public, iRent's role will attract even greater market attention. For the Hotai Group, the 2 million members are not just car-sharing customers—they could become the foundational user base for the future expansion of its MaaS ecosystem.