Lyft intends to use all EVs zero emission vehicles by 2030

(June 17)Lyft, the large US ride-sharing company, announced on Wednesday that it planned to transition to 100 percent electric(EV) or zero-emission vehicles by the year 2030.

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Transition will help the environment by reducing pollution

Lyft which operates in the US and some Canadian cities believes that by working with auto manufacturers, rental car companies, and its independent contractor drivers it will be able to prevent tens of millions of metric tons of pollutants from entering the atmosphere through the transition from fossil fuel powered vehicles.

John Zimmer, president of Lyft said: “Now more than ever, we need to work together to create cleaner, healthier, and more equitable communities. Success breeds success, and if we do this right, it creates a path for others.”

Idea of EV mandates for ride-sharing companies gaining ground

The view that ride-sharing companies are environmentally friendly has been touted by some as they have expanded in many larger cities. However, studies have shown that the average ride-share trip creates about 50 percent more pollution than an average traditional car trip. Studies also show that half of all ride-hailing trips in major cities are made by people who would have otherwise chosen cleaner means of transit such as public transportation.to get to their destination.

Becoming all EVs will be difficult

Lyft will first change more of its Express Drive rental cars to EVs. The program allows those who have no car to become Lyft drivers through the rental. Lyft will try to make EV's available for rent at the same or even lower weekly rental rates as comparable gas powered vehicles by 2023 in at least 10 of their largest markets. Regulatory filings show that Lyft has tens of thousands of cars in 30 US cities for short term rentals. Express Drive has apparently earned one billion dollars since it began in 2016. However, many drivers find the Express Drive involves low payouts and onerous requirements about the number of trips made according to the Los Angeles Times.

In 2018 Uber, Lyft''s large competitor had a pilot project that offered incentives for drives to switch to EVs. However, it never expanded the program after the pilot project ended.

Lyfts' plans

Lyft claims it will “organize demand-side interest in EVs and ​negotiate with auto manufacturers for group discounts​ for drivers using the Lyft platform.” Lyft also claims it will be able to persuade auto manufacturers to increase the selection and supply of more affordable EVs with longer ranges. Many manufactures are already making plans to have large lineups of electrified vehicles in the hope that the vehicles will become more attractive as a more environmentally friendly vehicle than those powered by fossil fuels.

In spite of the fact that the Trump administration has recently allowed automakers to make more polluting vehicles, Lyft will lobby for aggressive zero-emission policies that will favor EVs.

Lyft hopes its policies will reduce the cost of EVs, improve charging and develop special promotions that will make EVs more attractive to their drivers. In a blog post the company said: “By aggregating the collective demand of the driver community, we can help drivers transition to EVs over time in a way that saves drivers money.”

Most ride-sharing still through gas-powered vehicles

L:yft has been trying to portray itself for years as committed to environment sustainability but with limited success. For example it has invested millions in an attempt to become carbon neutral. The company has also tried to encourage drivers to take multiple passengers on rides but drivers have been reluctant to do this especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the vast majority of ride shares at present are still by fossil-fuel powered vehicles.

Newest effort is the most comprehensive yet by Lyft

Lyft is partnering with the Environmental Defense Fund and the Climate Group in its latest efforts. It has also collected numerous favorable quotes from well-known environmentalists and policymakers, including Representative Frank Pallone a Democrat and Colorado Governor Jared Polis.

The company has not disclosed how much it must invest to electrify its total fleet. A spokesperson said: “The transition to EVs is baked into our operating costs."

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Lyft the bike-sharer company helps fight the coronavirus in several US citiies

(March 25) Lyft, the largest bike-share company in North America is offering free or discounted bike-share trips to workers who are fighting the coronavirus.

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The offer is valid in several large US cities

Lyft invited certain workers in Boston, Chicago and New York to sign up for free one-month memberships or discounted trips. Lyft says it is also ensuring that bikes are adequately sanitized between trips. Cheaper bike-share rates could attract more customers as public transportation ridership is declining rapidly. With many people trying to avoid mass transportation because of the pandemic there has been a surge in cycling in New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Lyft sees this as an opportunity to help those in the front lines of the outbreak. Uber the ride-sharing service has also seen its business decline as it is not seen as a good substitute for mass transit These customers too may be turning to cycling or walking. Both Lyft and Uber provide bike-sharing as well as ride sharing..

The deal in New York

Lyft-owned Citi Bike is offering free 30-day memberships for workers in health care, first responders, or public transportation and this includes city workers. Hospitals and clinics are instructed to email Lyft to obtain enrollment information that can be distributed to staff. The deal includes an unlimited number of 45-minute trips on traditional bikes but for thirty days only.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio praised the Lyft move: “Our frontline workers are sacrificing so much to help and protect their fellow New Yorkers,. I want to thank Lyft for stepping up and helping us fight this pandemic by providing the employees on the front line with a safe, free ride to work.”

The plan in Chicago and Boston

In Chicago Lyft-owned bike-share company Divvy announced: "Divvy is working with the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) to offer half off annual memberships ($49.50) and $1 Single Rides through April 30." Divvy is also giving eligible healthcare workers free unlimited 45-minute trips on classic bikes for 300 days.

Boston Bluebikes will give hospital workers a free 30-day membership in their bike-share system. Eligible employees will receive a twenty dollar discount code to obtain the 30-day pass for free.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

In Phoenix Arizona Lyft customers will soon be able to hail a Waymo self-driving minivan

(May 8) Lyft customers in the Phoenix Arizona area will soon be able to hail a Waymo self-driving minivan for a ride, the company announced yesterday. This is the culmination of a partnership that began almost exactly two years ago.

Development represents an advance for ride-hailing and autonomous vehicles

In the beginning only 10 minivans will be available on Lyft's haling app in a handful of suburbs around Phoenix. Lyft riders will have the option on their app of selecting a ride in a Waymo self-driving vehicle. However, there will be safety drivers behind the wheel. Even though the development appears limited it nevertheless represents a significant advance for both the development of ride-hailing but also of self-driving vehicles.

Lyft is also facilitating trips in the tech company Aptiv's self-driving cars in Las Vegas. Waymo, a spinoff from Google or Alphabet has been mapping streets in Phoenix suburbs for two year now and is seen as having some of the best autonomous driving technology available at present.

Development announced two years back

The Waymo Lyft partnership was announced last May 18 with Waymo saying: “We’re looking forward to working with Lyft to explore new self-driving products that will make our roads safer and transportation more accessible. Lyft’s vision and commitment to improving the way cities move will help Waymo’s self-driving technology reach more people, in more places.”

Lyft's statement at the time also made positive promises: “We can confirm that we are partnering with Waymo to safely and responsibly launch self-driving vehicle pilots. Waymo holds today’s best self-driving technology, and collaborating with them will accelerate our shared vision of improving lives with the world’s best transportation.”

Other Waymo self-driving hailing projects in the Phoenix area

Waymo is already running two projects in the Phoenix area. Waymo One has carried over 1,000 riders to school, work, or shoppers. Secondly, it has an early rider program that requires participants to sign a nondisclosure agreement before they can experience riding in some of the company's latest updates. Waymo One is only available to these former early riders but there is no nondisclosure agreement required.

Terms of the new agreement were not revealed

No one knows how Waymo and Lyft are sharing fares or dealing with customer service issues. In 2017 Alphabet's (Google) invested $ 1 billion in Lyft. The new deal will allow those not involved in its early rider program to participate for the first time.

Waymo CEO, John Krafcik said: “This first step in our partnership will allow us to introduce the Waymo Driver to Lyft users, enabling them to take what for many will be their first ride in a self-driving vehicle.We’re committed to continuously improving our customer experience, and our partnership with Lyft will also give our teams the opportunity to collect valuable feedback.”

Previously  published in the Digital Journal