Perodua has launched a new app-based car rental service called UCar-e (pronounced “You Car”), aimed at providing university students and staff with access to vehicles.
For now, the National carmaker has partnered with three local universities to offer the service: Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (UTM-MJIIT).
Perodua says its UCar-e app is part of its “Mobility as a Lifestyle” strategy, which aims to shift the focus from conventional vehicle ownership towards service-based mobility solutions.
The app allows users to locate, book, and unlock vehicles within the campus. Dedicated parking bays are also provided for users to return their cars after use. The service is expected to be introduced sometime this month (June 2026), with implementation taking place in stages based on each university’s readiness and rollout schedule.
Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad, said that Perodua will initially provide 50 vehicles across the three universities. This will allow students and staff to travel from their accommodations to lecture halls within the university grounds.
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During the launch ceremony of the UCar-e app at Inasis Perodua, Dato’ Sri Zainal said, “We want to make this experience as simple and hassle-free as possible for students and staff. Perodua is also working closely with the respective universities to appoint students to manage the vehicles, including maintaining cleanliness, monitoring fuel level, and ensuring proper upkeep. In return, the student will receive commission-based payments.”
“By responsibly appointing students as vehicle management agents, we are also incorporating entrepreneurship training and exposure for the younger generation, which is an essential life skill,” he added.
Dato’ Sri Zainal said that Gen Z consumers are more interested in the driving experience than vehicle ownership, which is also part of the reason that drove Perodua to introduce the new service. Rising maintenance costs, limited parking availability, and increasing traffic congestion have prompted many to seek alternative mobility solutions.
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