Competitor Uber, Lyft, is leaning on Benteler and Holon for the development of self-driving shuttles
Lyft, a leading ride-sharing company, has partnered with Benteler Mobility, an Austrian manufacturer, to deploy Holon Urban electric autonomous shuttles in the U.S. starting in late 2026. These shuttles, fully electric and devoid of steering wheels and pedals, can accommodate up to nine seated and six standing passengers with inward-facing seats.
The production of these Holon Urban shuttles will be supported by a new $100 million facility in Jacksonville, Florida. This factory will enable industrial-scale manufacturing of Benteler’s autonomous vehicles for the U.S. market. The factory will have the advantage of enabling the installation of autonomous driving technology directly, avoiding expensive retrofitting.
Benteler’s Holon shuttles use Mobileye technology for autonomous driving, the same technology used in the ID. Buzz AD from VW. The partnership also includes a collaboration with Benteler Trading International to handle vehicle ownership and financing for future fleet expansion. This initiative marks Lyft’s significant push to expand its autonomous and driverless vehicle footprint in the competitive ride-sharing market.
Initially, Lyft will deploy the autonomous E-shuttles from Holon in partnership with airports and cities in the U.S., with the goal of expanding the service to thousands of vehicles worldwide. The Holon shuttles will be used together with the ID. Buzz AD from VW in the ALIKE project in Hamburg, Germany. A small depot for ten Holon shuttles is currently being built in Hamburg.
Lyft manager Jeremy Bird states that Benteler Mobility is the partner they need to advance their ambitions in autonomous driving. Benteler Mobility is not just a technology company, but also closely linked to a large automotive supplier with extensive manufacturing know-how and global reach, and has fleet ownership and financing capabilities.
The Holon Urban model, developed in Paderborn, can accommodate up to 15 passengers and operates autonomously at Level 4, with a maximum speed of 60 km/h and a range of approximately 290 kilometers. The new vehicle factory for Holon's E-shuttles is being built in Jacksonville, Florida. With the acquisition of the mobility app FreeNow from Mercedes-Benz and BMW for around 175 million euros, Lyft will now be present in Germany, France, Greece, the UK, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Poland, and Spain, in addition to the USA and Canada.
The Holon shuttles are part of Benteler's Holon Urban model, which has found a customer for its electric vehicle. The offering from Benteler Mobility includes a financing solution to help customers like Lyft use assets lightly and accelerate the large-scale introduction of autonomous vehicles. The factory is scheduled to be completed in 2026. This partnership between Lyft and Benteler Mobility is set to revolutionize the autonomous and electric vehicle landscape in the U.S. and potentially worldwide.
- The new factory in Jacksonville, Florida, will enable industrial-scale manufacturing of Benteler’s autonomous vehicles, like the Holon Urban shuttles, for the U.S. market, aiding the competitive business landscape of transportation and automotive industry.
- The financing solution offered by Benteler Mobility, as part of their partnership with Lyft, will help Lyft use assets like the Holon shuttles more efficiently, accelerating the large-scale introduction of autonomous vehicles in the world of finance.
- With the deployment of Holon Urban electric autonomous shuttles, Lyft aims to expand its automotive footprint in the competitive ride-sharing market, leveraging technology from companies like Mobileye, while collaborating with Benteler Mobility for industrial-scale manufacturing and financing solutions for their autonomous vehicles.
