City governments and private property managers have been encouraged to cut parking fees and even allocate free spaces for shared cars as a way to promote the nascent business.

Similar to the model used for shared bikes, motorists can now rent cars parked in public areas simply by scanning a QR code using a smartphone app.

Last year, dozens of car-sharing enterprises operated more than 26,000 vehicles in China, according to consultancy firm Roland Berger, which estimates the number will hit 600,000 by 2025.