Revel to rival Uber? Moped-sharing start-up reveals plans to launch Tesla ride-share service in NYC

Moped-sharing starting up Revel is looking to challenge Uber by starting its own ride-hailing service.

Revel has purchased 50 bright blue electric Tesla Model Y vehicles for the initial New York City launch in May, but the city says it still isn’t licensed, according to Verge. 

Customers can order the vehicles 24 hours, 7 days a week through the Revel app. 

The initiative comes after Revel suspended it moped service for 60 days last summer after the deaths of three different riders, Nina Kapur, 26, Jeremy Malave, 32, and Francis Nunez, 30, who crashed their mopeds in July and August.  

Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered the suspension of the service for 30 days following the deaths.

Revel announced plans to challenge taxis and Ubers by purchasing a fleet of 50 bright blue electric Tesla Model Y vehicles to operate in Manhattan below 42nd street. Revel says they will hire drivers to operate the vehicles instead of relying on gig economy workers. 

A driver transports a passenger in one of the bright blue electric Tesla vehicles to operate as a ride-share vehicles in Manhattan below 42nd street

A fourth person was killed after she was hit by a person using the electric scooter after the suspension was lifted.

The company has seen a dozen lawsuits over alleged safety lapses involving the scooters. 

This has led to Revel making changes including the photo verification of users wearing helmets and answering a 21-question test to utilize the service.

As part of new ride-hailing venture, the company plans to build an in-house charging station to repower the vehicles offering enough power for 100 miles in under 20 minutes, according to Business Insider. 

The company currently 3,000 mopeds and a EV charging station across the five boroughs.

Revel says the ride share rates will be comparable with Lyft and Uber. The company plans to hire drivers instead of relying on gig economy workers, according to TechCrunch.  

The NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission has clashed with Lyft and Uber over limiting the number of for-hire licenses they hand out. 

‘Revel is not licensed to operate for-hire transportation vehicles in NYC,’ commented a Taxi and Limousine service spokesperson. 

Revel says as of this month the service has approved its base application and issued their base license number.  

The initiative comes after Revel suspended it moped service for 60 days last summer after the deaths of three different riders

The company plans to start the service initially with drop-offs and pick-ups below 42nd street in Manhattan, according to Verge.

The company plans to expands into the other boroughs and neighborhoods based on data and popularity of the service. 

City streets were deadly in 2020. 96 pedestrians, 24 cyclists, 48 motorcyclists and people in 66 vehicles were killed in traffic fatalities, according to the New York City Department of Transportation.