The US-based firm announced that it would collaborate with local utility partners to ensure that offices, driver hubs and electric vehicles (EVs) were 100% powered by renewable sources going forward. No specific date has been given for the transition.

The decision builds on Lyft’s Green Cities Initiative, which was announced earlier this year. A multi-million-dollar investment has since been made into a carbon programme that has offset more than a million tonnes of carbon. In fact, Lyft is one of the top 10 voluntary purchasers of carbon offsets in the world.

“With the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit kicking off in San Francisco this week, we’re excited to take our pledge two steps further,” the company said in a blog post. “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.”

Imperfect option

Lyft has set up a direct renewable energy purchase in San Francisco through the city’s CleanPowerSF programme. The purchasing agreement has been facilitated by Lyft’s property owner McCarthy Cook and the company will work with other local partners to transition towards 100% renewables.

Where direct renewable energy supplies aren’t available, Lyft had revealed it will purchase Renewable Energy Credits (REC) through clean services firm 3Degrees. The credits are purchases from regional renewable energy projects.

“While the choices available in some of our key markets today are imperfect, these renewable energy options represent an immediate action we can take,” Lyft noted. “Over time, we’ll work to establish the direct supply of renewables with utilities and EV charging providers everywhere it’s needed.”

Lyft is also working with US transit agencies to attempt to make shared rides account for 50% of all trips on the Lyft platform by the end of 2020.

Last year, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) entered the market of smart transportation with a new £19m investment in Lyft.

Matt Mace

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