Senmiao Technology Ltd Revenue Disclosure

(q) Revenue recognition

The Company recognized its revenue under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC 606). ASC 606 establishes principles for reporting information about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from the entity’s contracts to provide goods or services to customers. The core principle requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that it expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services recognized as performance obligations are satisfied. It also requires the Company to identify contractual performance obligations and determine whether revenue should be recognized at a point in time or over time, based on when control of goods and services transfers to a customer.

To achieve that core principle, the Company applies the five steps defined under ASC 606: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer, (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.

The Company accounts for a contract with a customer when the contract is entered into by the parties, the rights of the parties, including payment terms, are identified, the contract has commercial substance and consideration to collect is substantially probable.

Disaggregated information of revenues by business lines are as follows:

 Automobile transaction and related services

Operating lease revenues from automobile rentals –The Company generates revenue from sub-leasing automobiles to some online ride-hailing drivers or third-parties and leasing its own automobiles. The Company recognizes revenue wherein an automobile is transferred to the lessees and the lessees has the ability to control the asset, is accounted for under ASC Topic 842. Rental transactions are satisfied over the rental period and is recognized over time. As the operating lease revenue are variable in nature which is based on online ride-hailing drivers or third-parties’ performance for a certain period, the Company recognized the revenue from operating lease by using the output method based on periodic settlement between the Company and the online ride-hailing drivers or third-parties when such revenue is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur. Rental periods are short term in nature, generally are twelve months or less.

Monthly services commissions – Commissions from the services generated from the management and related services provided to Partner Platforms and other companies, which are settled on a monthly basis. The Company recognizes revenues at a point in time when performance obligations are completed and the commission amount is confirmed by the Partner Platforms and other companies, based on their evaluations on the services provided by the Company.

Financing revenues – Interest income from the lease arising from the Company’s sales-type leases and bundled lease arrangements are recognized as financing revenues over the lease term based on the effective rate of interest in the lease. 

Service fees from NEVs leasing and automobile purchase services - Services fees from NEVs leasing and automobile purchase services are paid by some lessees who rent new energy electric vehicles from the Company or automobile purchasers for a series of the services provided to them throughout the purchase process such as credit assessment, installment of GPS devices, ride-hailing driver qualification and other administrative procedures. The amount of services fees for NEVs leasing is based on the product solutions while the fees for purchase is based on the sales price of the automobiles and relevant services provided. The Company recognizes revenue at a point in time when above mentioned services are completed, and corresponding an automobile is delivered to the lessee or purchaser. Accounts receivable related to the revenue from NEVs leasing and automobile purchase services is collected upon the automobiles are delivered to lessees or purchaser.

Service fees from automobile management and guarantee services – Over 95% of the Company’s customers are online ride-hailing drivers. Some of the drivers sign affiliation agreements with the Company, pursuant to which the Company provides them with management and guarantee services during the affiliation period. Service fees for management and guarantee services are paid by such automobile purchasers on a monthly basis for the management and guarantee services provided during the affiliation period. The Company recognizes revenue over the affiliation period when performance obligations are completed.

Sales of automobiles – The Company generated revenue from sales of automobiles to the customers of Hunan Ruixi. The control over the automobile is transferred to the purchaser along with the delivery of automobiles. The amount of the revenue is based on the sale price agreed by Hunan Ruixi and the customers. The Company recognizes revenues when an automobile is delivered and control is transferred to the purchaser at a point in time. Accounts receivable related to the revenue are being collected within 12 months.

Other service fees – The Company generated other revenues such as miscellaneous service fees charged to its customers for some supporting services provided to online ride-hailing drivers. The Company recognizes revenues at a point in time when performance obligations are completed and the collectability is probable from the customers.

Leases - Lessor

The Company recognized revenue as lessor in accordance with ASC 842. The two primary accounting provisions the Company uses to classify transactions as sales-type or operating leases are: (i) a review of the lease term to determine if it is for the major part of the economic life of the underlying equipment (defined as greater than 75)%; and (ii) a review of the present value of the lease payments to determine if they are equal to or greater than substantially all of the fair market value of the equipment at the inception of the lease (defined as greater than 90%). Automobiles included in arrangements meeting these conditions are accounted for as sales-type leases. Interest income from the lease is recognized in financing revenues over the lease term. Automobile included in arrangements that do not meet these conditions are accounted for as operating leases and revenue is recognized over the term of the lease.

The Company excludes from the measurement of its lease revenues any tax assessed by a governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction and collected from a customer.

The Company considers the economic life of most of the automobiles to be three to five years, since this represents the most common long-term lease term for its automobiles and the automobiles will be used for online ride-hailing services. The Company believes three to five years is representative of the period during which an automobile is expected to be economically usable, with normal service, for the purpose for which it is intended.

The Company’s lease pricing interest rates, which are used in determining customer payments in a bundled lease arrangement, are developed based upon the local prevailing rates in the marketplace where its customer will be able to obtain an automobile loan under similar terms from the bank. The Company reassesses its pricing interest rates quarterly based on changes in the local prevailing rates in the marketplace. As of March 31, 2024, the Company’s pricing interest rate was 6.0% per annum. 

Online ride-hailing platform services

The Company generates revenue from providing services to online ride-hailing drivers (“Drivers”) to assist them in providing transportation services to riders (“Riders”) looking for taxi/ride-hailing services. The Company earns commissions for each completed ride in an amount equal to the difference between an upfront quoted fare and the amount earned by a Driver based on actual time and distance for the ride charged to the Rider. As a result, the Company bears a single performance obligation in the transaction of connecting Drivers with Riders to facilitate the completion of a successful transportation service for Riders. The Company recognizes revenue upon completion of a ride as the single performance obligation is satisfied and the Company has the right to receive payment for the services rendered upon the completion of the ride. The Company evaluates the presentation of revenue on a gross or net basis based on whether it controls the service provided to the Rider and is the principal (i.e., “gross”), or it arranges for other parties to provide the service to the Rider and is an agent (i.e., “net”). Since the Company is not primarily responsible for ride-hailing services provided to Riders, it does not have discretion in establishing the price of the online ride-hailing service and inventory risk related to the services as the Company earns commissions for each completed order as the difference between an upfront quote fare and the amount earned by a driver based on actual time and distance for ride charged to the rider. Thus, the Company recognizes revenue at a net basis. Incentives paid to Drivers are similar to retrospective volume-based rebates and represent variable consideration that is typically settled weekly or monthly. The Company recorded it as a reduction to revenue by the amount of the incentives to be paid upon completion of the performance criteria.