(Yicai Global) Aug. 14 -- Growing ranks of Chinese internet startups have jumped on the sharing economy bandwagon in recent years, affording the public shared access to virtually everything from bicycles to umbrellas and even gyms.

In the latest twist, BMW cars will also become available for shared use by China's consumers.

Ezzy, a car-sharing platform built by Beijing Dameng Technology Co., will provide 1,500 BMW i3 electric cars for the local car-sharing market in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province in Northeast China, the company announced Aug. 9, as Shenyang Daily reported.

The vehicles will offer many new features such as "WiFi connection, fingerprint and facial recognition, breath alcohol test and smart voice assistant to create a safe and enjoyable driving experience for users," said Sui Hongyang, the company's manager.

The user must first download the app, register and upload an image of his/her driver's license and pay a deposit of USD150 (CNY999). S/he can then get in a car using the app, but before s/he starts driving, s/he must pass the facial recognition and infrared alcohol tests.

"We can monitor all the BMW i3s on the internet to know how much fuel is left in each vehicle, and even how many times a user applies the brakes during a trip," Sui said

The 'BMW sharing' service will cost CNY1.5 per kilometer, with the daily price capped at CNY200. Each new user will get two free trips. Cars can park for free at any of the 220,000 parking spaces in more than 1,400 parking lots throughout the city.

"We're planning to release the first 1,500 cars soon, and customers can use them in major areas of the city," Sui added.