As the ultra-rich continue to flock to Dubai, a high-end ride-hailing service targeting millionaires has emerged, with a starting price of nearly $30.
Wheely, a Swiss car service company (operating in Paris, Moscow, and London), has just launched a ride-hailing service for millionaires in Dubai. They offer two exclusive services, a new business class and first class, using high-end Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 5 Series G60 models.
For example, first class passengers use a Mercedes-Benz S-Class W223, equipped with an Acqua di Parma scent diffuser, Oshibori towels, and complimentary Fiji water bottles. The journey is highly personalized, and passengers can customize their music selection, interior lighting, massage seats, and entertainment system.
The starting fare is 100 UAE dirhams (US$27.20), the minimum fare is 150 dirhams (US$40.80), and 5 dirhams (US$1.36) per minute of waiting time. Parking and tolls are added. There are approximately 700,000 millionaires in Dubai, representing a significant potential market for Wheely.
Wheely's ride-hailing service for the wealthy in Dubai. Photo: Wheely
"In recent years, many ultra-wealthy individuals in Europe have moved to Dubai, and many Middle Eastern residents have experienced our services in London and Paris. Dubai has become the most requested destination for our clients," said Anton Chirkunov, co-founder and CEO.
Achieving service consistency is not easy, according to Chirkunov, due to the limited supply of S-Class vehicles. "When we arrived in Dubai, there were virtually no of these vehicles in the city. So we needed to work with local suppliers to find large quantities of this model. Perhaps more than 90% of the new generation Mercedes S-Class vehicles licensed in Dubai are reserved exclusively for Wheely," he explained.
Transporting the ultra-wealthy comes with demands for freedom of decision and privacy. The entire company staff and partners must adhere to strict security protocols. In addition to privacy curtains in the vehicles, the company is developing technology to ensure its members cannot access client data.
The company plans to create over 500 jobs in Dubai within 18-24 months, and expand to 1,000 employees in the Middle East within the next 3-5 years. This requires them to prepare a supply of luxury vehicles and train professional drivers.
Chirkunov said drivers must complete a rigorous training process with regulations on safety, etiquette, and caution. In London, the company has a high-level driver training academy, meeting the 5-star service that customers expect.
The Dubai ride-hailing market is dominated by the ride-hailing startup Careem, which was previously acquired by Uber for $3.1 billion. By the end of 2023, Uber had sold a majority stake in Careem to e& (based in Abu Dhabi, UAE) for $400 million to raise cash.
However, Wheely is designed specifically for a more upscale clientele. Chirkunov compares the platform to luxury products, similar to American Express's Centurion and Platinum credit cards.
Founded by a Swiss entrepreneur of Russian descent and headquartered in London, Wheely is a ride-hailing startup similar to Uber, but targeting wealthy customers. The app's average price is around £46 ($57.72) for a 30-minute journey from Mayfair to London.
Wheely is making an effort to expand into Dubai after several turbulent years due to Covid. "The pandemic was very difficult, because unlike Amazon which saw a surge in orders, we saw a 99% drop in customer traffic," Chirkunov said.
Following the pandemic, demand from high-end customers recovered. The platform recently achieved operating profitability in markets other than Paris and Dubai. After expanding in the Middle East, Wheely is targeting Uber's home country. Chirkunov said they are still considering a US launch at some point. "The reason we haven't launched yet is because we are focusing entirely on Dubai. But eventually, New York will replace London as the leading market," Chirkunov stated.
Phiên An ( according to Arabian Business, CNBC )
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