Ride-hailing company Lyft and micromobility company Spin are partnering to integrate Spin's electric scooters into the Lyft app in 60 cities in the United States. The launch will be completed by the end of 2022.
Lyft and Spin Partner Up
The integration of the electric scooters in the Lyft app will enable users to find and pay for them through the app. The first city to get the service in Nashville, Tennessee, on Mar. 24. On April, 13 additional cities will get the service.
The partnership supports a more combined transportation ecosystem, one that manifests in other app integrations, according to The Verge.
Spin and other micromobility companies like Lime and Bird are also integrated into apps like CityMapper, Google Maps, and Moovit. In addition, Lime electric vehicles have been available on Uber's app since 2019.
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Spin's CEO Ben Bear told TechCrunch that this is the first time they have done a native integration, where users can execute the entire trip flow within the Lyft app.
This means that users do not need to go to the Spin app. They need to open the Lyft app, find the Spin scooter, and scan, unlock and ride the electric scooter. This is also the first time that Lyft has done an integration partnership too.
By hosting Spin's vehicles on its platform, Lyft, which offers shared bikes in nine cities in the United States, is effectively increasing its micromobility footprint. This can help boost its position as a go-to transportation platform for Americans.
The company will get a fee per ride from Spin, but Bear did not disclose how the revenue share will work between the two companies.
Bear added that it is a partnership where both companies are bringing a lot of value in terms of Lyft being able to offer bikes and scooters in several markets because Lyft has been focused on core cities. They don't have the coverage right now in the rest of the country.
Over the next few weeks, rides in cities like Cleveland, Phoenix, Providence, and Memphis will see Spin electric scooters as an option when they search their destination on the Lyft app.
Electric scooters can be unlocked through Lyft by scanning a QR code or entering the scooter ID number in the app, according to Engadget.
Bear said that at a time when gas prices are high, micromobility is a part of the solution, but it is not the only solution.
Being able to access ride-share and electric scooters and bikes across the U.S. is really exciting for both companies as it can reduce the dependence on personal vehicles.
Acquisition of Spin
On Mar. 3, Tier Mobility, the Berlin-based micromobility operator that has been taking over Europe these past few years, bought Spin from Ford in an attempt to enter the North American market.
Tier Mobility acquired all of Spin's 50,000 electric scooters and electric bikes, bringing the company's total fleet to 300,000.
The companies did not disclose the terms of the deal, but in 2021, Tier Mobility raised $200 million, which the company said would be used for strategic investments and acquisitions.
In 2016, Lyft announced its goal to evolve its transportation technology by 2025.
In 2021, Lyft sold its autonomous tech to Toyota to focus on self-driving transportation.
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Written by Sophie Webster
