India-based used-motorcycle marketplace DriveX has launched a new c-to-c channel called ‘DriveX Direct’ in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
DriveX Direct is now live across 20 cities where the company operates in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, a news release stated, adding that the service will be available in other cities by the end of the year. Unlike a typical “marketplace, c-to-c” model of just connecting buyers with sellers, DriveX Direct will offer verified listings, transparent AI-based direct pricing, and access to financing.
Additionally, DriveX will also offer documentation, warranty, and value-added services for customers requiring greater reassurance on their purchases. The added verification and services, the company says, will eliminate the scams, price gouging, and other challenges associated with typical c-to-c channels.
Saran Samiappan, head of DriveX Direct, said, “By combining AI-driven tools, trusted verification, and end-to-end assistance, we are addressing long-standing gaps in the c-to-c space. Our aim is not just to create a platform, but to empower consumers with the right choice, transparency, and a seamless journey from listing to ownership.”
DriveX Direct features a guided self-inspection flow, followed by smart verification and AI-driven pricing suggestions that reflect current market trends. The seller listings are matched with genuine, high-intent buyers, allowing them to transact directly. The service is supported with adjacent offerings such as insurance assistance, warranty, and registration certificate (RC) transfer.
The company is set to introduce a secure, escrow-like payment system soon to hold the payments from buyers securely and release them to the sellers after the documents are checked and deliveries are complete. Such intermediations are aimed at streamlining c-to-c transactions, which DriveX says represent 44% of used-motorcycle sales in India.
DriveX will not be charging any service fee for the c-to-c channel for now. However, it has not entirely ruled out the possibility of charging “listing fees” in the future.
DriveX’s foray into the c-to-c space comes just a few weeks after the shutdown of its competitors in the b-to-c used-motorcycle retailing domain, BeepKart and Credr, due to high refurbishment costs, a lack of funding and a fragmented supply chain. The asset-heavy b-to-c domain is now limited to Vutto — which recently raised $7.0 million — and DriveX.
With its new c-to-c channel Direct, DriveX joins the likes of CarDekho Group-owned BikeDekho, CarTrade-owned BikeWale and Droom Bikes, which operate on asset-light business models.
Founded in 2020 by Narain Karthikeyan — best known as the first Indian to compete in Formula 1 — DriveX specializes in procuring motorcycles directly from individual sellers before refurbishing and selling them to customers with warranty and value-added services. It received $7.4 million from parent TVS Motor in July.
