Written by: Kimberly White
The San Francisco-based rideshare company Lyft is making it easier for their riders to reduce their carbon footprint. Earlier this week, Lyft announced the new Green Mode option.
In 2019, the popular rideshare company will introduce thousands of electric vehicles to their platform in hopes of providing clean transportation options for their customers and increasing net earnings for their drivers.
With Green Mode, riders can choose between a hybrid or an electric vehicle. Green Mode is currently being offered in Seattle but will be launched into more cities later this year.
Image Credit: Lyft
Green Mode is the latest development in Lyft’s Green Cities initiative. In early 2018, Lyft announced their intention of becoming carbon neutral. During the Global Climate Action Summit, Lyft shared that the company had attained its goal by offsetting over one million metric tons of carbon.
“First, we’re now purchasing enough carbon offsets to neutralize the remainder of our emissions, making Lyft a fully carbon neutral company. Second, we’re committing to purchase enough renewable energy to cover the electricity consumption of every Lyft office space, driver hub, and electric vehicle mile on our platform. And not only are we making these two commitments, but we’re also announcing that as of today we are meeting these goals,” Lyft said in a blog post.
The company expects the addition of Green Mode to benefit not only their riders but also their driver community.
“EVs are significantly more fuel-efficient than conventional vehicles, the typical cost to travel in an EV is half that of traveling in a gasoline-powered car. Combining lower fuel costs with affordable rental rates, we anticipate that individual drivers can save hundreds of dollars per month, and thousands of dollars per year, on fuel costs alone,” Lyft stated.
Electricity is a cleaner and cheaper energy source than oil. The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that 42% of households in the United States could use a battery-electric or plug-in electric vehicle. This would not only reduce the amount of emissions but also save drivers billions in fuel costs.
Electric vehicles are a vital component of reducing oil use in the United States and transitioning towards sustainable transportation. With their continued sustainability efforts, Lyft has proven they are a leader at the forefront of sustainable mobility.
Header image credit: Lyft
