In this episode, we chat with Paul Higgins, the Co-founder of HelloCars - an all-inclusive car subscription service providing flexible access to different makes and models to suit the needs of Australian drivers.
What we cover in this episode:
Pauls' background and how HelloCars started
Trends in car subscription services
Consumer demands for flexibility and access to shared vehicles
Shift away from traditional car ownership and into usership
How this relates to sustainability
Where the future of the industry is going
Quotes:
“The whole idea of people wanting to buy a car and it just sits in their driveway for possibly half the year it's becoming less appealing as people are embracing new forms of technology and innovation.”
“We're seeing a move towards usership rather than ownership and this is certainly a big step in that direction.”
”The problem that [HelloCars] trying to solve is the lack of transparency. And when it comes to buying a used car, one of the least trusted industries, and putting it all in line with lots of checks and balances and creating a lot of trust and comfort around that online experience, which went really well.”
“[The problem] is really offering more flexible alternatives to traditional car ownership.”
“I think COVID has been pretty special situation in terms of how people have used mobility. And it's fast tracks some of that change, because no longer are people going into the office quite as often.”
“[The pandemic] really opened people's eyes up to more flexible ways of working.“
“But more broadly, I think that consumer habits have changed. So people are looking for online, personalized experiences, they're not wanting to necessarily go into a dealership and haggle with someone to buy a car, they wanting something that kind of suits their lifestyle and where they're at. “
“Again, it's more around usership and ownership. I believe, and technology has accelerated that because of that transparency, that the ease of adoption”
“I think that that sustainability element is really important to consider and as EVs gain popularity, we're going to start to move into autonomous vehicles, vehicles on demand. And what that's going to mean is fewer emissions, fewer need to take up public space to store these vehicles. “
Links:
Connect:
Connect with Paul via LinkedIn
Connect with Emily via email: emily@compassiot.com.au
Connect with Byte Size via LinkedIn
Car Usership vs Ownership