Revel is permanently ending its ride-hailing service in New York City, marking yet another major pivot for the company that launched with electric scooter rentals in 2019. The startup will now focus entirely on its growing EV fast-charging network, which currently includes five stations in NYC and one in San Francisco.
A message in Revel’s app and on its website thanked riders for “the last 4 years” and confirmed the rideshare shutdown. CEO and co-founder Frank Reig said the decision was aimed at accelerating the EV transition by “building the fast charging infrastructure our biggest cities need to keep going electric.”
Revel will sell or return its fleet of bright-blue Teslas and Kias and offload its 165 for-hire vehicle license plates, which could fetch $20,000–$25,000 each.
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The company launched its first chargers in 2021 but saw slow adoption initially with only 21% network utilization in early 2023, most from its own fleet. By early 2025, utilization had jumped to 45%, helped by a 2024 deal with Uber to route drivers to Revel chargers. The company now aims to have over 400 charging stalls operational across Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco by the end of 2026.
