Revel is making a significant change by discontinuing its electric moped service in New York City and San Francisco. The company’s CEO and co-founder, Frank Reig, communicated this decision in a company-wide email, as seen by TechCrunch. In the email, he mentioned that “the service has faced challenges, and ridership has declined.” Revel has also reached out to its riders through emails, informing them that the service will cease operations on November 18 and advising them to utilize their account credits before that date.
It's a bad day for car-free travel in NYC. @_GoRevel is shutting down their moped business in NYC and SF.@StreetsblogNYC @ShabazzStuart pic.twitter.com/UXo5RDSKrY
— Matt (@Noticeandaccept) November 3, 2023
As mentioned in the report, Revel withdrew its service from other markets in 2022 and currently operates approximately 3,000 mopeds in New York City and San Francisco. According to a company spokesperson who spoke with TechCrunch, ridership has decreased by 30 percent in both of the remaining cities compared to the previous year, making it unsustainable to maintain this segment of the business.
Revel has temporarily suspended its moped service on several occasions due to safety concerns. In 2020, the service was halted following a tragic accident in which two customers lost their lives while using the vehicles. It was reinstated after implementing a mandatory in-app safety test and requiring riders to submit a selfie wearing a helmet. Additionally, Revel removed its mopeds from the Bronx for over a year due to a series of battery thefts.
Looking ahead, Revel will shift its focus to its electric vehicle ride-hailing service, which is operated by staff drivers throughout New York’s five boroughs. The company also has plans to expand its network of electric vehicle fast-charging stations in New York and the Bay Area.
