SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep. 24, 2024-- Smartcar, the leading API platform for mobility businesses, today announced a partnership with Lyft, one of the largest transportation networks in North America, to tackle range anxiety and help EV drivers accept rides with confidence.

Lyft’s ‘Rides in Range’ feature ensures EV drivers only receive ride requests within their current battery range. It’s now available for EV drivers on the platform with a 20-mile buffer on an EV’s battery range to accommodate different driving styles or route obstacles.

With EV battery level data retrieved via Smartcar, Rides in Range can also alert drivers to charge after completing a trip if their battery level is expected to fall below 20 percent. By combining automatic trip-matching and proactive EV charging reminders, Lyft aims to build an efficient and convenient experience for EV drivers and passengers using the platform.

Range anxiety is the #1 EV pain point for drivers on Lyft

Range anxiety is the top concern for EV drivers on the platform, as they want to avoid interrupting trips to charge or being unable to find chargers during a ride.

With Rides in Range, EV drivers on Lyft don’t have to deal with the cognitive burden of evaluating battery range for each request. Accurate and automated ride assignments with EV battery data retrieved via Smartcar help Lyft drivers take on more trips with confidence, boost ratings, and increase tips from customers.

“At Lyft, we’re all about making life easier for drivers on our platform, and we know that range anxiety is a big deal for those with electric vehicles. That’s why we’re so excited about our new ‘Rides in Range’ feature, thanks to our partnership with Smartcar,” said Ciara Chow, Lyft Product Manager. “Now, our drivers can take on rides without constantly worrying about their battery levels. It’s a game changer that helps them focus on what they do best – providing great rides for people who need them.”

Secure, no-hassle EV range checks for drivers

The feature is automatically enabled for future rides once drivers connect their EVs to Lyft via Smartcar. Lyft’s evaluation criteria of the Smartcar platform included its technical capabilities, user experience for drivers, and the ability to scale the Rides in Range feature across the most popular EV models on Lyft and on the road today.

With Smartcar’s consent-based API and immediate onboarding, Lyft can roll this feature out to most of their EV drivers without adding the burden of technical dependencies and security concerns. This one-time setup ensures drivers only share the necessary data permissions with Lyft, maintaining privacy while improving the driver experience.

“One of the greatest challenges of our time is addressing climate change, and it’s inspiring to see companies like Lyft make impactful commitments to grow electrification on the platform significantly,” said Sahas Katta, CEO and co-founder at Smartcar. “Smartcar is thrilled to partner with Lyft to accelerate this shift by enhancing the EV experience. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to building more solutions that make the transition to EVs seamless and efficient.”

Building a reliable and emission-free future for rideshare

By optimizing ride assignments based on battery range, Lyft hopes the ‘Rides in Range’ feature will increase matching speed, enhance the passenger experience, and reduce charging interruptions during trips.

This partnership underscores Smartcar and Lyft’s shared commitment to a sustainable future by supporting EV adoption and addressing the pain points that deter drivers from going electric. With more EVs on the platform providing seamless trips, Lyft can further its goal of reaching 100 million EV rides on the platform by the end of 2025.

To learn more, please visit https://smartcar.com.

About Smartcar

Smartcar, the leading API platform for connected vehicles, empowers businesses to develop mobility solutions that put drivers in control of their vehicle data. Founded in 2015, Smartcar provides developer tools to help companies integrate with cars using a unified API, manage API connections, and implement consent management. Smartcar unlocks the freedom of movement for everyone by removing barriers to mobility app development and helping vehicle owners choose how they want to use their car data — whether that’s on solutions for energy management, vehicle repairs, EV charging, rideshare, auto insurance, and more. Smartcar has raised $36M to date and is backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), New Enterprise Associates (NEA), and Energize Capital.

About Lyft (NASDAQ: LYFT)

Lyft is one of the largest transportation networks in North America, bringing together rideshare, bikes, and scooters all in one app. We are customer-obsessed and driven by our purpose: getting riders out into the world so they can live their lives together, and providing drivers a way to work that gives them control over their time and money.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240924793965/en/

Winona Rajamohan
Smartcar
winona@smartcar.com

Source: Smartcar