Chauffeur-hailing service Blacklane launches fleet of electric vehicles

The company is boosting its eco-credentials in line with the UAE announcing 2023 as the Year of Sustainability

The company has a fleet of customised, two-tone, top-of-the-range Mercedes EQS. Photo: Blacklane

Chauffeur-hailing service Blacklane has launched its first all-electric fleet in Dubai.

The company, which operates in more than 50 countries around the world, is boosting its eco-credentials, in line with the UAE announcing 2023 as the Year of Sustainability and the country’s Net Zero 2050 strategic initiative.

The new fleet of electric vehicles bolsters an already diversified business model that includes a range of safe, reliable and comfortable chauffeur-hailing services, including one-way and return journeys; airport transfers; hourly and daily bookings within Dubai; and inter-emirate travel, all with a 60-minute lead time.

The newly launched on-demand service is available in the DIFC, Downtown Dubai, d3, Business Bay and Dubai International Airport, with plans to roll out across the city later this year. Blacklane’s transparent pricing is fixed at the time of booking via the mobile app.

The company’s customised, two-tone, top-of-the-range fleet of Mercedes EQS feature ventilated seats, in-chair massage and ambient cabin lighting. In September, in another first for the region, Blacklane launched its proprietary Chauffeur Training Academy, to help all drivers to offer the highest standards of service, safety, etiquette and discretion.

The team of impeccably presented chauffeurs, which also includes females, work exclusively for Blacklane on a permanent, full-time salaried contract. Every chauffeur receives ongoing training across both theoretical and practical elements of driving and service.

“We have successfully serviced hundreds of thousands of customers across the Middle East in the past five years,” says Nicolas Soucaille, general manager of the UAE for Blacklane. “All our chauffeurs have been accredited through Blacklane’s Chauffeur Training Academy, ensuring they are fully prepared to provide our guests with a welcoming and elevated ride journey.

“As part of our commitment to the environment, we are proud to offer an all-electric fleet, which will dramatically reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, with the launch of our on-demand services, we will provide an unrivalled experience for our guests, whilst taking a step forward towards a more sustainable future”.

Blacklane also announced that Gargash Group, one of the leading business conglomerates in the UAE, is its most recent investor, alongside Mercedes-Benz Mobility and existing investor Al Fahim Group. The investment supports Blacklane’s transition to electric vehicles, with a super-charging network set to accelerate its race to net zero.

“Blacklane continues to accelerate on its road towards becoming a product-led company which successfully combines highly personalised services with advanced technology platforms,” says Dr Jens Wohltorf, co-founder and chief executive of Blacklane.

“We are strategically investing in the important Middle East market as a test bed to introduce new offerings, which will diversify our business model and allow us to expand and open new markets. Congratulations to Nicolas Soucaille, our general manager in Dubai, and his team on this important milestone in our company’s development.”

Download the Blacklane app here.