Bike-sharing startup Mobike pairs with Foxconn to grow fleet

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Chinese bike-sharing startup Mobike signed an exclusive strategic partnership with Foxconn Technology Group on Monday, in a move to double its annual bicycle production capacity to more than 10 million units.

Under the deal, Foxconn, the world's largest contract consumer electronics maker, will set up production lines for Mobike's bicycles, with an annual production capacity of 5.6 million units. Foxconn also becomes a strategic investor in the startup.

Mobike enters Wuhan, Hubei Province in central China at the end of 2016. /CFP Photo

Davis Wang, CEO and co-founder of Mobike, said the deal will help the Beijing-based company expand presence in China and overseas markets.

"The move will lower the manufacturing cost. Foxconn's industrial design capability and overseas footprint will also be of great help," Wang added.

Founded in 2014, Mobike is one of the fastest-growing bike-sharing companies in China, with services available in 13 cities. It is competing with Ofo in the race for control of the nascent bike-on-demand sector.

A Mobike bicycle rider and an Ofo bicycle rider (R) in Beijing on January 12, 2017. /CFP Photo

The deal came shortly after Mobike raised $215 million US dollars in a new round of funding in January, led by Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd.

James Du, senior vice president of Foxconn, said the deal was part of the company's efforts to facilitate public transportation with new technology.

(Source: China Daily)