Ride-Share Competitors Revel & Uber Ink Deal for EV Fast Charging Infrastructure Expansion
100% electric ride-share startup Revel recently announced a partnership with rideshare giant (and competitor) Uber to help accelerate EV infrastructure expansion in the United States. While Revel continues to grow its own fleet of EVs for ride-sharing in New York City, the company is also building out a network of high speed fast charging stations to keep those ride share vehicles up and running. And now the company’s biggest ride-share competitor Uber is providing a commitment for guaranteed utilization of those fast charging stations in exchange for a discount to Uber drivers of up to 25% on EV charging fees. This deal will enable Revel to expand its charging network faster into “urban charging deserts” in New York City and beyond.
The deal represents a multi-year strategic partnership between the two firms to provide Uber drivers in New York City with exclusive charging discounts and access to Revel’s ever-expanding DC fast charging network. Revel’s charging network currently includes three fast charging “Superhubs” in Brooklyn and Queens with 54 charging stalls. The company intends to build out more than 300 charging stalls in New York City by the end of next year, including a massive 48-stall charging station near LaGuardia airport in Queens, directly adjacent to the for-hire vehicle waiting area. Revel charging stations are open to the public and include both Tesla/NACS charging plugs and CCS plugs for maximum compatibility. The partnership, which supports Uber’s push towards zero-emissions, is launching first in New York City, with the intention to expand to additional U.S. cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston.
Guaranteed Revenue for Revel’s EV Charging Stations
As part of this exclusive deal, Uber will provide a financial commitment in the form of a utilization guarantee up to certain levels on existing and future Revel charging stations in New York City. Uber will also contribute aggregated and anonymized data to Revel to inform future charging station site development. This will enable Revel to expand its charging network faster into urban charging deserts — areas without adequate charging supply where many Uber drivers live and complete trips.
“Tackling urban charging deserts is an important part of building an all-electric future,” said Andrew Macdonald, Senior Vice President of Mobility and Business Operations at Uber. “Since our earliest days, Uber has proudly served underserved communities with rides and earning opportunities and we are thrilled to continue that progress in partnership with Revel to ensure the next wave of charging infrastructure in New York City serves EV drivers and city residents alike.”
Discounted EV Fast Charging for Uber Drivers
Uber drivers will be eligible for exclusive charging discounts up to 25% off charging rates at Revel stations based on their status with Uber Pro, Uber’s driver rewards program. The discount will apply to Revel’s per-kWh retail charging rate. As of March, 2024, Revel’s current rate in New York City is $0.49/kWh which is on par with Tesla and a bit less than Electrify America for fast charging in the city. New York City DOT (Department of Transportation) has its own limited network of public DC fast chargers which currently cost $0.39/kWh. Of course, Revel fast charging stations are also used by Revel drivers, but since they are all full time employees of the company, no charging discount is required. The company owns all of its ride-share vehicles and covers all charging, insurance, and maintenance of Revel EVs. Revel drivers are paid a competitive salary with health care and other benefits.
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“Together, Revel and Uber are showing how to accelerate EV infrastructure in the hardest to build places, dense cities,” said Frank Reig, CEO & Co-Founder of Revel. “With Uber’s guarantee of demand at our sites, we’ll be able to expand our public charging network faster first here in New York and soon in other big rideshare markets like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and more.”
Revel sites are open to the public 24×7 and are accessible to all electric vehicle models. Revel only charges drivers fees directly related to charging, with no requirement for a monthly subscription or parking fees while charging. In addition to new Uber signage at Revel charging sites, soon Revel stations will be added to the Charging Map in the Uber Driver app, showing drivers the location, availability, and speed of nearby EV chargers, with simple navigation to get there.
Ride-Share Drivers Go Electric 7X Faster
Thanks to the lower maintenance and fuel costs associated with EVs, Uber drivers have become one of the top demographics for EV adoption. According to the company, Uber drivers are going electric at seven times the rate of the general public, with New York City as one of Uber’s fastest growing markets for EV adoption. That figure continues to grow thanks to the City’s Green Rides Initiative, which went into effect in October 2023. This program included the release of approximately 10,000 new for-hire vehicle licenses exclusively for electric vehicles. The Green Rides Initiative also requires that all rides provided by Uber and Lyft in New York City are dispatched by either an electric vehicle or wheelchair-accessible vehicle by 2030. Revel stated that New York City’s commitment to EV adoption helped pave the way for this partnership.
Check Out Revel for an Emissions-Free Ride
If you’re a New York City resident or frequent visitor and are interested in checking out Revel’s 100% electric ride share service, you can get 40% off your first ride and 25% off the next three. Just apply my referral code CHRISB9899 within the Revel app. Find out more about the Revel app here.
EV drivers in New York City can find details on the company’s high speed charging stations on the Revel Superhubs page.
Related Reading:
Meeting NYC’s Electrification Goals Will Require Public/Private Partnerships
First Ride with Revel’s 100% EV Ride Share Service in NYC (Kyle Field)
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