Ride-sharing company TappCar unveils electric fleet in Edmonton

Edmonton-based ride-sharing company TappCar announced a purely electric fleet of vehicles on Friday.

The business said it means people trying to get around the metro region now have a convenient, environmentally friendly option.

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“TappCar wants to constantly be building a more sustainable service, which we know is an important priority for our users,” spokesperson Pascal Ryffel said.

“We feel these initiatives are a giant step in the right direction and we’re proud to be bringing them to Edmonton.”

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The fleet — comprised of BYD Company Ltd.’s e6 pure-electric crossover model — will launch this summer.

Each vehicle has a price tag of about $60,000. However, TappCar plans to initially lease the vehicles rather than purchase them, according to Ryffel.

“Over and above offering expanded transportation choice across the metro region, this new all-electric service shows leadership and innovation by enhancing our air quality and lessening its carbon footprint,” Mayor Don Iveson said.

The announcement was made at the Edmonton International Airport, where the company has been picking up and dropping off passengers since 2016.

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TappCar also unveiled a new carpool option, available now, that allows customers to share a ride to or from the airport and split the fare.

“We are very excited to partner with TappCar on environmentally friendly electric ride-sharing,” airport president and CEO Tom Ruth said.

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“EIA continues to strive to be proactive in environmental leadership, which is important to us from a community perspective. We are also committed to providing travellers with the full spectrum of ground transportation options to meet our customers’ expectations, including ride-sharing.”

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TappCar services are available through the app, which works on Android or iOS devices.