China’s Tencent, with its strong grip on the global gaming industry and its messaging app WeChat, may start its own ride-hailing business. The firm applied to Chinese authorities to register a number of mobility-related trademarks, Chinese online news portal Sina.com reported on Tuesday.
Tencent Chuxing (Chuxing means ‘mobility’) and Tencent Dache (‘ride-hailing’) are among the trademarks lined up for certification.
Tencent has interests in the mobility industry through investments in Tesla and its Chinese challenger Nio. It has also joined forces with 17 automakers—including BMW, Daimler Benz, and Guangzhou Automobile Group—to explore how smart cars can adopt Internet of Vehicles (IoV) solutions, under the banner Tencent Auto Intelligence.
Last month, Tencent, Alibaba, and several Chinese automakers formed a limited partnership with RMB 9.76 billion (US$1.46 billion) to invest in promising startups in the on-demand, and smart mobility area.
Contact the writer at jingli@kr-asia.com