Whoa! China Ride-Hailing Giant Didi Eyes Purpose-Built Fleet Equally Automobile Marketplace Position Shifts

Who are the people?
Well, for i there's Didi's President, Jean Liu. As noted inwards Apr 2017's  Dear Mr. Kalanick, "China's Didi Raises Over $5.5 Billion inwards Record Tech Funding":
Didi's relentless approach is getting a flake scary but I practise express mirth when thinking of the company's President's thoughts on the biz:

I all the same can't teach the moving painting of Didi Chuxing's President, Liu Qing (anglicized to Jean Liu), commenting on Travis Kalanick as well as Uber's efforts inwards PRC every bit cute. Then when Uber proclaimed the $3.5 billion investment from the Saudis she laughed as well as said she had to a greater extent than than that on the way. 

Didi then announced the completion of a $7.3 billion fundraising.
Uber ameliorate live on on tiptop of their game inwards Southeast Asia because they weren't inwards PRC as well as got run out of the country....

Well, nosotros know how that turned out. Side-note: she was existence treated for cancer at the same fourth dimension she was kicking Kalanick's backside.
From Reuters:

BEIJING/DETROIT (Reuters) - China’s Didi Chuxing, already disrupting the global ride-hailing marketplace as well as taking on U.S. competitor Uber, has its sights assail an fifty-fifty bigger potential prize: designing as well as getting built its ain dedicated fleet of Didi cars.

The draw of piece of employment solid has set together teams of automotive designers as well as engineers, as well as is forthwith looking to operate with established machine makers to prepare “purpose-built” vehicles, people around the fellowship told Reuters, a motion that could milkshake upwardly the auto marketplace inwards PRC as well as beyond.

The motion underscores how tech firms, from software makers for self-driving vehicles to car-sharing platforms, are disrupting traditional automakers such every bit Ford Motor as well as Nissan, alongside major shifts towards electrical cars as well as pay-per-use models.

In response, some global automakers are forthwith starting to mouth themselves every bit “mobility” companies that practise to a greater extent than than simply construct as well as sell vehicles.

Didi officials enjoin the disruptive alter sweeping the manufacture way at that spot is a clear usual involvement inwards novel players similar itself as well as traditional manufacturers working together to prepare as well as improve ride-hailing as well as sharing platforms.

“Traditional automakers convey dissimilar skillsets as well as agreement of the market, as well as those are all valuable to us,” Kevin Chen, full general director of Didi’s automotive service platform, told Reuters inwards an interview.

“It’s non similar exclusively nosotros empathise the customer. We are opened upwardly to every shape of cooperation.”

Didi is China’s biggest ride-hailing company, cementing its authorization when it bought out Uber’s operations inwards the province inwards 2016, as well as is preparing to launch car-sharing as well as other on-demand carry services.

It currently uses regular rider cars, but says every bit it moves forrard it sees a involve for to a greater extent than dedicated “purpose-built” vehicles. Many would probable live on electrical vehicles, either all-electric battery cars or plug-in electrical hybrids....MORE