Uber Technologies and charging provider Revel have announced a new strategic partnership in which the rideshare network will financially support the latter in expanding its charging infrastructure in exchange for exclusive charging discounts for its drivers. The perks will start in New York City with plans to expand Revel chargers and discounts to other major cities across the US.
Everyone already knows Uber, so we will start with a quick refresher course on Revel. The Brooklyn-based EV charging startup was founded in 2018 and is focused on all-electric taxi fleets and the charging infrastructure necessary to support them.
The company is easily recognizable by its sky blue Tesla Model Ys and Kia Niro EVs driving around the Big Apple. In November 2022, Revel shared intentions to expand its network of fast chargers outside of New York City into other major metropolitan areas in the US.
Today, the startup has announced a unique partnership with the biggest name in rideshares, Uber, to help expedite that process in exchange for charging support for its drivers.
Source: Revel
Revel to offer Uber drivers 25% discount in multi-year deal
The new partners shared details of their multi-year strategic partnership this morning, in which Uber drivers gain access to Revels 250 fast chargers currently operating around New York City at a discount that varies based on a driver’s status in the network.
As part of this exclusive deal, Uber says it will provide a “financial commitment” to Revel as a utilization guarantee up to certain levels to support existing and future EV chargers in NYC. Furthermore, Uber will share its aggregated data to help the charging startup determine the best locations for future EV charging stations. Andrew Macdonald, Senior Vice President of Mobility and Business Operations at Uber, elaborated:
Tackling urban charging deserts is an important part of building an all-electric future. Since our earliest days, Uber has proudly served underserved communities with rides and earning opportunities and we are thrilled to continue that progress in partnership with Revel to ensure the next wave of charging infrastructure in New York City serves EV drivers and city residents alike.
With the partnership in place, Uber drivers become eligible for charging rate discounts of up to 25% on Revel’s network. Those discounts are determined by a driver’s given status in Uber Pro – the rideshare company’s rewards program for drivers. Revel says the discount will apply to its per kWh retail charging rates.
Revel’s charging sites around New York City are public and available 24/7, and the startup only charges drivers for the charging itself, with no fees for access or parking, enabling Uber drivers to get in and out more quickly and get back to making money.
Revel currently operates the three largest fast charging stations in New York City but intends to extend its reach to more neighborhoods in need. Not to mention more large cities around the US. Per Revel co-founder and CEO Frank Reig:
Together, Revel and Uber are showing how to accelerate EV infrastructure in the hardest to build places, dense cities. With Uber’s guarantee of demand at our sites, we’ll be able to expand our public charging network faster first here in New York and soon in other big rideshare markets like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and more.
Revel is currently working on a previously announced EV charging station near LaGuardia Airport, which will include 48 fast charger piles adjacent to the area’s designated “for-hire” waiting area. When complete, it will be the largest public fast charging station by any airport in the US, and we expect to see Uber drivers taking full advantage of it in the future.
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Paris’ bike-share system, Vélib has long been considered one of the shining success stories of urban micromobility. With a massive fleet of over 20,000 pedal and electric-assist bicycles around Paris, the service has helped millions of residents and tourists get around the City of Light without needing a car or scooter. But lately, a growing problem is threatening to knock the wheels off this urban mobility marvel: theft and joyriding.
According to city officials and the service operator, more than 600 Vélib bikes are now going missing every single week. That’s over 30 bikes a day simply vanishing from the system – some stolen outright, others taken on “joy rides” and never returned.
“At the moment we’re missing 3,000 bikes,” explained Sylvain Raifaud, head of the Agemob company that currently operates the Velib system. That’s nearly 15% of over 20,000 Vélib bikes across Paris.
The sticky-fingered culprits aren’t necessarily professional thieves or organized crime rings. Instead, they’re often regular users who treat the shared bikes like disposable toys.
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The city estimates that many people have figured out how to pry the bikes out of the system’s parking docks, unlocking one for a casual cruise and then ditching it somewhere far from a docking station.
Once pried free, the bikes are technically usable for the next 24 hours until their automatic locking feature kicks in. At that point, the bikes are often simply abandoned. Some end up in alleyways. Others get tossed in rivers. A few just disappear completely.
And since the bikes are intended to be parked at their many docking stations around the city, they don’t have GPS chips, further complicating recovery of “liberated” bikes.
The issue started small but has grown into more than an inconvenience – it’s beginning to undermine the entire purpose of the service. With bikes going missing at such a high rate, many Vélib docking stations are left empty, especially during rush hours.
Riders looking for a quick commute or a convenient hop across town are increasingly finding themselves without available bikes, or having to walk long distances to find a functioning one.
That kind of unreliability chips away at user confidence and threatens to drive potential riders back into cars, cabs, or other less sustainable forms of transport at a time when Paris has already made great strides to dramatically reduce car usage in the city.
The losses are financially painful, too. Replacing stolen or vandalized bikes isn’t cheap, and the resources spent on tracking down missing equipment or reinforcing anti-theft measures are stretching thin. Vélib has faced theft and vandalism issues before, especially during its early years, but this latest surge has officials sounding the alarm with renewed urgency.
Officials acknowledge that there’s no easy fix. Paris, like many cities with bike-share systems, walks a fine line between accessibility and accountability. Part of what makes Vélib so successful is its ease of use and widespread availability. But those same features make it vulnerable to misuse – especially when enforcement is limited and the consequences for abuse are minimal.
The timing of the problem is especially unfortunate. In recent years, Paris has seen impressive results in reducing car traffic, expanding bike lanes, and promoting cycling as a key part of its sustainable transport strategy. Vélib is a cornerstone of that plan. But if the system becomes too unreliable, it risks losing the very people it was designed to serve.
Meanwhile, as Parisians increasingly find themselves staring at empty docks, the challenge for the city and Vélib will be to restore confidence in the system without making it harder to use. That means striking the right balance between freedom and responsibility, between open access and protection against abuse.
In a city where cycling is supposed to be the future of mobility, losing thousands of bikes to joyriders and sticky fingers isn’t just frustrating; it’s unsustainable.
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U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk attend a press event in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 30, 2025.
Nathan Howard | Reuters
When they lose a significant other, most men do indeed become a “TRAIN WRECK.” Then they pick up the pieces of their lives and start living again — paying attention to their personal grooming, hitting the gym and discovering new hobbies.
What does the world’s richest man do? He starts a political party.
Last weekend, as the United States celebrated its independence from the British in 1776, Elon Musk enshrined his sovereignty from U.S. President Donald Trump by establishing the creatively named “American Party.”
Few details have been revealed, but Musk said the party will focus on “just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,” and will have legislative discussions “with both parties” — referring to the U.S. Democratic and Republican Parties.
It might be easier to realize Musk’s dream of colonizing Mars than to bridge the political aisle in the U.S. government today.
To be fair, some thought appeared to be behind the move. Musk decided to form the party after holding a poll on X in which 65.4% of respondents voted in favor.
Folks, here’s direct democracy — and the powerful post-separation motivation — in action.
— CNBC’s Erin Doherty contributed to this report.
What you need to know today
And finally…
An investor sits in front of a board showing stock information at a brokerage office in Beijing, China.
US President Donald Trump, right, and Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, May 30, 2025.
Francis Chung | Bloomberg | Getty Images
When they find themselves without a significant other, most men finally start living: They pay attention to their personal grooming, hit the gym and discover new hobbies.
What does the world’s richest man do? He starts a political party.
Last weekend, as the United States celebrated its independence from the British in 1776, Elon Musk enshrined his sovereignty from U.S. President Donald Trump by establishing the creatively named “American Party.”
Few details have been revealed, but Musk said the party will focus on “just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,” and will have legislative discussions “with both parties” — referring to the U.S. Democratic and Republican Parties.
It might be easier to realize Musk’s dream of colonizing Mars than to bridge the political aisle in the U.S. government today.
To be fair, some thought appeared to be behind the move. Musk decided to form the party after holding a poll on X in which 65.4% of respondents voted in favor.
Folks, here’s direct democracy — and the powerful post-separation motivation — in action.
[PRO] Wall Street is growing cautious on European equities. As investors seek shelter from tumult in U.S., the Stoxx 600 index has risen 6.6% year to date. Analysts, however, think the foundations of that growth could be shaky.
And finally…
Ayrton Senna driving the Marlboro McLaren during the Belgian Grand Prix in 1992.
Pascal Rondeau | Hulton Archive | Getty Images
The CEO mindset is shifting. It’s no longer all about winning
CEOs today aren’t just steering companies — they’re navigating a minefield. From geopolitical shocks and economic volatility to rapid shifts in tech and consumer behavior, the playbook for leadership is being rewritten in real time.
In an exclusive interview with CNBC earlier this week, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown outlined a leadership approach centered on urgency, momentum and learning from failure.