Digital Transformation and New Business Models in Urban Mobility: The Case of Carsharing in Brazil

Digitalization has brought new business opportunities, leading to profound changes in how organizations create, deliver and capture value in their respective markets. Carsharing is no different. Having first appeared as grassroots initiatives in small European communities, operations in carsharing were analogic, from vehicle access to control and management of the fleet. With digitalization, the activity has gained momentum, and new business models have emerged, including those which do not require and own car fleet. In Brazil, carsharing businesses have developed in the past decade. However, there is a lot to overcome, with just a handful of carsharing operators (CSOs), a list of as many closed companies, and lacking adequate regulation and supporting public policies. In this paper, we discuss the primary resources and competencies that have been mobilized by Brazilian CSOs operating under distinctive business models. Based on in-depth multiple case studies, we analyzed four Brazilian CSOs, according to the main elements defined in the Business Model literature (Chesbrough, 2007; Teece, 2010). Findings reveal a general reliance on cloud computing, smartphone applications, and competencies related to software development and data analytics. Nonetheless, the importance of resources such as owned car fleets, onboard hardware, and parking spaces differ between operators.