Lyft has agreed to acquire Freenow, a European taxi-hailing and mobility app, from BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz Mobility for about €175 million ($197 million), the ride-hailing company announced Wednesday. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2025.
Freenow will continue to operate in more than 150 cities across Ireland, the U.K., Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Poland, France and Austria, according to Lyft. Approximately 90 percent of Freenow’s gross bookings in 2024 were generated by taxi bookings. The company’s leadership team and employees are expected to remain in place.
Changes to the service are not immediately planned, but new benefits over time could include more transparency around earnings for drivers and real-time information on the best times to drive, according to Lyft. Riders could see more consistent pricing, faster matching, and new features and modes, according to the company. The companies also will focus on integration, which would allow riders to use either app whether in North America or Europe.
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