“When you're in a position to have gotten so much, the gift at this point is giving back.”
– Paul Stanley
Tricks of the trade
Zoomcar single-handedly created the self-drive rental car market in India. It aimed to be India’s Zipcar
But regulatory fuzziness and an asset-heavy operational model eclipsed Zoomcar’s desire to scale quickly
It triggered a series of pivots. Zoomcar’s core product changed several times, but couldn’t strike a chord with the Indian consumer
Zoomcar’s hopes are riding on ZAP, its subscription platform, to generate demand for its brand of ownership. But they’re not alone
It’s 8.45 PM. The phone connection is patchy. Zoomcar CEO Greg Moran’s voice crackles irritably through the static. But despite the disturbance, his assertion is crystal clear.
“Ownership is a dead model in India. All the metrics point to the fact,” he states.
It isn’t just cars, adds Moran. “It’s two-wheelers and bicycles, too. Modern mobility is about access, and affordability is the gold mine,” he says.
Available exclusively to subscribers of The Ken India
This story is a part of The Ken India edition. Subscribe. Questions?
Annual Subscription
12-month access to 200+ new stories and our archive of 800+ stories from our India edition.
Rs. 2,750
SubscribeQuarterly Subscription
3-month access to 60+ new stories with 3-months worth of archives from our India edition.
Rs. 1,750
SubscribeSingle Story
Instant access to this story for a year along with comment privileges.
Rs. 500
SubscribeRead articles that decode the most significant shifts happening around business, technology, startups and healthcare. 1000+ articles for subscribers of the India edition. 150+ articles for subscribers of the Southeast Asia edition.
Curated collections of our best articles organised by companies, sectors or transformations.
Tens of thousands of subscribers, working at the world’s most successful companies, have made The Ken into a daily reading habit.
Read 1000+ stories in the Indian edition
Get access to our subscriber-only Android and iOS apps
Engage with the subscriber community
Early and exclusive access to The Ken’s products
What is The Ken?
The Ken is a subscription-only business journalism website and app that provides coverage across two editions - India and Southeast Asia.
What kind of stories do you write?
We publish sharp, original and reported stories on technology, business and healthcare. Our stories are forward-looking, analytical and directional — supported by data, visualisations and infographics.
We use language and narrative that is accessible to even lay readers. And we optimise for quality over quantity, every single time.
What do I get if I subscribe?
For subscribers of the India edition, we publish a new story every weekday, and a newsletter on Saturday.
For subscribers of the Southeast Asia edition, we publish a new story three days a week, and a newsletter on Friday.
The annual subscription will get you complete, exclusive access to our archive of previously published stories for your edition, along with access to our subscriber-only mobile apps, our premium comment sections and several other gifts and benefits.
Does a subscription to the India edition grant me access to Southeast Asia stories? Or vice-versa?
Afraid not. Each edition is separate with its own subscription plan. The India edition publishes stories focused on India. The Southeast Asia edition is focused on Southeast Asia. We may occasionally cross-publish stories from one edition to the other.
Do you offer an all-access joint subscription for both editions?
Not yet. If you’d like to access both editions, you’ll have to purchase two subscriptions separately - one for India and the other for Southeast Asia.
Do you offer any discounts?
No. We have a zero discounts policy.
Is there a free trial I can opt for?
We don’t offer any trials, but you can sign up for a free account which will give you access to the weekly free story, our archive of free stories and summaries of the paid stories. You can stay on the free account as long as you’d like.
Do you offer refunds?
We allow you to sample our journalism for free before signing up, and after you do, we stand by its quality. But we do not offer refunds.
I am facing some trouble purchasing a subscription. What can I do?
Please write to us at [email protected] detailing the error or queries.
The Ken has invited you to sign up for The Nutgraf by The Ken.
The Ken has invited you to sign up for The Nutgraf by The Ken.
Having your name allows us to address you personally in emails and on our website. That’s all, nothing else.
The Ken has added you as a partner. Read The Ken as a couple. Sign in to get started.
The Ken has added you as a partner. Read The Ken as a couple. Sign up to get started.
Having your name allows us to address you personally in emails and on our website. That’s all, nothing else.
