ekar
ekar is the first self-drive mobility startup in the Middle East, allowing users on-demand access to a network of vehicles available for rental and leasing subscription. Users can pay through the company’s mobile app (available for Android and iOS devices) by the minute, hour, day, or week, or even choose long-term monthly rentals, which come with fuel, free on-street parking, insurance, maintenance, and round-the-clock customer support.
The concept for ekar, introduced in 2016, began when founder and CEO Vilhelm Hedberg identified a need for the Middle Eastern car-sharing market. The original idea was straightforward: give cars to the flight attendants who work for Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways. “This homogeneous group lives in apartment buildings with empty parking spaces because cars are expensive and unnecessary for people who work primarily abroad.”
Currently operating in seven locations across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, ekar has ambitions to expand to Thailand and Malaysia this year, Turkey and Egypt in 2022, and Malaysia and Thailand in 2023. The platform links fleet owners and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with an easy-to-use, internally-built digital rental and leasing platform. Hedberg is especially proud to note that it is the first car share company in the world to offer Tesla vehicles as an option on its app, alongside other vehicles like the Nissan Micra, MG ZS, Mazda 6, Mitsubishi Attrage, Peugeot 3008, Chevy Spark, Ford EcoSport, and Hyundai Accent.
POSTPAY
In the UAE, you can shop now and pay later by dividing your bill into three interest-free monthly instalments. With Postpay, a no-interest and no-hidden-fee payment plan shopping app, you can purchase now and pay later in the United Arab Emirates. Find the best pay-later shopping deals on various fashion, clothing, beauty, entertainment, and more by selecting from hundreds of stores and brands.
Tariq Sheikh and Dani Molina founded Postpay. Shop online at any retailer, choose “Postpay” at the checkout, fill out your information, and you’re good to go!
Postpay provides a variety of payment choices that vary according to time frames. Three-time ranges can be used for payment splitting by customers. Interest is not charged on any payments.
Several companies from the Postpay website can be found in the electronics, beauty, fashion, sports & fitness, home and furnishings, children, and entertainment categories. These include retailers like Victoria’s Secret, Footlocker, Brands for Less, Mother Care, Bath & Body Works, Boots, Marina Home, Pottery Barn, West Elm, Brands for Less, and Brands for Less.
You may download the Postpay app from the App Store or Google Play. Depending on the user’s history, there are different minimum spend restrictions.
Common payment methods, including Mastercard and Visa debit/credit cards, are accepted by Postpay.
