More sophistication of and luxurious trips are around the corner for Uber.
Uber is beefing up its Uber Elite program this time and now it is buying Blacklane, a prominent chauffeur app in Germany.
However, the financial terms have not been disclosed.
Blacklane operates in over 500 cities globally
So yes, Uber is acquiring Blacklane.
Established in 2011, Blackane is responsible for linking travelers with local chauffeur operators via its official app and official website.
The acquisition is a three-point shot, as Blacklane is currently valued at over around $547 million.
Its investors include Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG, Tasaru Mobility Investments (owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund), and several Gulf-based firms such as Gargash Enterprises LLC, RI Digital Ventures, and Al Fahim Group. Whoa.
“Discover your one-stop travel shop: long-distance rides, one way or return, by the hour, airport transfers, and more,” Blacklane chatted with Ridesharing Forum.
Officially, its offerings include city-to-city rides, chauffeur hailing, airport transfers, and hourly and full-day hire.
Right now, Blacklane in “over 500 cities across more than 60 countries, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and other locations in Asia.” Really a jackpot for the Uber brand.
Something for Uber Elite
The Uber CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, expressed how delighted he is about this deal. He added that the company wants to offer riders options ranging from daily commutes to luxury rides, and called premium travel “one of the most exciting growth areas” of Uber’s business.
This is also a landmark purchase, since it will aim to speed up Uber Elite, the chauffeur system, not of Blacklane, but of Uber.
Right today, Uber Elite is available to Uber Black regulars and business account holders in Los Angeles and San Francisco, with plans to launch in New York City soon.
It is also present in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, South America, and North America. It has a wide array of luxury offerings, such as in-vehicle amenities, airport meet-and-greets, and 24/7 phone support.
The acquisition came after the launch of Uber Elite, only weeks.
The chief executive officer of Blacklane, Jens Wohltorf described this business move as an impact step-change in introducing Blacklane to the freshest markets around the world.
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