Lyft offers Portland drivers to charge their electric vehicles for free

June 2, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Until Lyft and Uber can replace all their drivers with robotsaxis, both encourage their employees independent contractors to drive hybrid or battery-powered electric cars. according to Mashable, Beginning in July, Portland-based Lyft pilots will be able to charge their rechargeable hybrid (PHEV) or all-electric (BEV) vehicles for free.

There are currently five charging stations for electric vehicles in and around Portland. Each is capable of charging six vehicles at a time with four DC fast chargers and two level 2 chargers. Normally, the price starts at $ 3 for a two-hour level 2 billing session, but customers can choose to pay for fixed fees of $ 25 per month.

The new Lyft policy, provided in conjunction with Portland General Electric, the local utility, will allow drivers with rechargeable cars to pay nothing for the electricity they use to serve their customers.

Lyft customers in selected cities can request an electric car using the green mode on the company's app to come by car. This feature has been proposed for the first time in Seattle and is now available in Portland. It will soon be added to other cities. Lyft also allows drivers to rent a hybrid or electric car via its Express Drive division. Rental fees include free shipping.

Last year, Lyft is committed to making all of its activities carbon neutral. This promise means using electricity from renewable sources when it can and buying renewable energy credits when needed. Part of this is greenwashing, as Engadget points out, since the vast majority of cars used by its drivers run on gasoline.

Nevertheless, it's a start and a way for Lyft to try to be a "softer, softer" alternative to Uber, who is still trying to eliminate the ethical stench left behind by founder, Travis Kalanick. The company knows that the carbon footprint is far from being carbon neutral, but says the energy credit program is something it can do "immediately" while looking for ways to better clean up its law. to come up.

Keywords: EV recharge, Lyft, Lyft Green mode

About the author

Steve Hanley Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Rhode Island and wherever the singularity could lead him. His motto is: "Life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but the number of moments that take our breath away!" You can follow him on Google + and on Twitter.