Leading Chinese bike-sharing company Ofo announced on Thursday its expansion into the Malaysian market, two days after entering the Thai market. Xinhua the news agency reported.
This is the most recent step towards an ambitious goal of covering 200 cities in 20 countries by the top of this yr.
A complete of 500 of Ofo’s signature yellow bikes have been placed within the tourist town of Malacca. The company says that number is predicted to grow to about 2,000 by the top of August.
Malaysia is the sixth overseas marketplace for Ofo, after Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan and Thailand.
Cao Xiao, head of Ofo’s Asia Pacific division, said the corporate hopes to serve local residents and tourists in Malacca, in addition to help the town improve transportation and the environment.
Meanwhile, in Thailand, by the top of September, a complete of 6,000 bicycles will likely be in use within the capital Bangkok, after the successful completion of a one-month trial period, at Thammasat University in Bangkok. According to estimates, this number will increase by 5,000 per 30 days China Daily.
The Ofo bike ride will cost 5 baht ($0.15) for half-hour, with a deposit of 99 baht ($2.97). The bikes will likely be offered freed from charge for the primary three months.
“Thailand has a population of nearly 70 million, and traffic congestion has become a serious problem in cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai,” Cao Xiao said.
“By offering Thai users a personalized service, we hope to improve the transportation system in major Thai cities with our shared bikes in the near future.”
Earlier this yr, the Beijing-based company joined forces with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to boost public awareness of climate change. UNDP and Ofo may also establish a joint fellowship program to support environmental research projects and supply small grants to start-ups offering green products and technologies.
Ofo currently serves roughly 6.5 million shared bikes worldwide. Statistics show that it has offered customers over 2 billion rides in over 150 cities.
