Lyft to offer electric car drivers free charging in Oregon city
Lyft drivers in electric cars can charge their vehicles for free in Portland, Oregon, starting in July.
The ride-sharing service said it was partnering with Portland General Electric to offer drivers in a hybrid or all-electric vehicle free charging at stations around the Oregon city.
“We’re proud to fuel Lyft’s mission to minimize its impact on the environment with a robust and healthy EV charging network, as it aligns with our goal to help deploy electric transportation that serves everyone — regardless of how they choose to move throughout our region,” Dave Robertson, Portland General Electric’s vice president of public policy, said in a news release.
There are three charging stations that are currently operating with two others under construction. The electric company said two more stations are expected to open by 2020, although the locations of these ports have not been announced.
Lyft drivers would avoid paying $3 for a two-hour charging session that’s slower, or $5 for a two-hour session that will charge 75 miles of range in 30 minutes. Frequent users can also pay $25 a month for unlimited charging.
An estimated 50,000 electric vehicles are expected to be registered and on the roads in Oregon by 2020, according to Portland General Electric.
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The new perk for electric car drivers comes months after Lyft launched the “green mode” feature that allows customers to request an electric or hybrid vehicle for their trip. The feature was first introduced in Seattle in February and later rolled out to other U.S. cities such as Portland.
It’s unclear if free charging will be available at other cities.