'Kingdom of Bicycles' embraces car sharing

Internet-enabled e-cars are ready for Chinese users in minutes and cost far less than conventional rental services

When car sharing started in Canada and then spread to the United States in the mid-1990s, people had no idea the business model would be flourishing 20 years later on the other side of the globe in China.

Now the share cars, mostly electric, are ready for Chinese users in minutes once they complete the required registration via an app. And in most cases, sharing costs less than traditional car rental services, which charge on a daily basis.