Shenzhou Car Rental Charges $3 Fee for Returning Vehicle 1 Minute Early, Says System Updated

On April 30, a user rented a car through the eHi Car Services platform and was charged a RMB 20 early-return penalty fee for returning the vehicle one minute earlier than the agreed time. eHi explained that the order had used a discount coupon, and because the car was returned early, the conditions for the discount were no longer met; thus, the user had to pay back the discounted amount as a penalty fee. The company stated that there might have previously been a system issue, which has now been resolved through system optimization. eHi also clarified that early-return fees are only applied during major holidays such as May Day, National Day, and Chinese New Year; during other periods, early returns are billed based on the actual rental duration, and any unused portion of the rental fee is refunded.