Uber Technologies Inc. is launching a new chauffeur ride option targeting corporate and executive travelers, bolstering its $10 billion premium segment in a market where rival Lyft Inc. is also pushing further into high-end offerings.
Uber Technologies Inc. is launching a new chauffeur ride option targeting corporate and executive travelers, bolstering its $10 billion premium segment in a market where rival Lyft Inc. is also pushing further into high-end offerings.
The new service, Uber Elite, will overtake Uber Black as the most expensive ride option available on its app, the rideshare company said Thursday. Uber is partnering with fleet companies that employ professional chauffeurs to offer trips in luxury vehicles like the Cadillac Escalade, Lucid Air and Lincoln Navigator. Travelers, or their business delegates, must reserve such a ride at least one hour in advance or as much as 90 days ahead. The service is currently invite-only: The company is opening access to frequent Uber Black users and corporate account customers in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and soon in New York City. It expects to make the feature available to all riders in more cities in the U.S. and abroad in the future. Uber, which began as an app for black-car services before expanding into standard rides and becoming synonymous with taxis, is promising an “elevated experience” with Uber Elite. Each ride will include free chargers, bottled water, mints and hand-sanitizing towelettes, Uber said. It also said it will work with fleet partners to accommodate any special requests made within the app, such as a particular brand of sparkling water or champagne. Unlike regular scheduled Uber rides, Uber Elite riders will have the option to call their chauffeur before pickup. For airport arrivals, a “meet and greet” feature is also available if customers wish to meet their chauffeur at baggage claim. Competition in luxury car services is set to intensify as Uber and Lyft have both signaled a sharper focus on the lucrative segment to attract new customers and boost their business margins. For Uber, more expensive rides like Uber Comfort, SUV and Black already account for more than $10 billion in annualized gross bookings, the company said last year, representing a 35% increase from the prior year. This also comes just five months after rival Lyft acquired TBR Global Chauffeuring for about $110 million. The deal has allowed Lyft to expand into the luxury category in 120 countries globally, including in Asia and the Middle East — markets where the company does not currently operate its regular rideshare service. Lung writes for Bloomberg.
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