Ryde drives into ultra-luxury market with RydeLUXE

• RydeLUXE matches users with professional private-hire car drivers
• 10% service fees charged to help drivers recuperate from Covid-19 impact

SINGAPOREAN mobility app company Ryde has announced the launch of their premium service, RydeLUXE, in the city state.

The newest addition to the platform is touted to cater to the ultra-luxury market of business executives, tourists and premium customers, allowing them to travel with professional drivers in six-seater vehicles such as the Toyota Alphard and Vellfire.

With RydeLUXE, users will be matched with professional drivers with luxurious private-hire car drivers within the Ryde App, the company said in a statement.

Ryde added that business owners, restaurants and hotels can provide this service to guests looking for a premium ride via a partnership with Ryde. Beta trials are ongoing at the moment, with the official launch in Singapore to happen on April 29, it said.

Ryde said that corporate demand for RydeLUXE is projected to come from multinational corporations (MNC)s, small businesses, hotels and restaurants.

Indicative off-peak fares are US$18 (SG$25) from Tanglin to Bugis and US$37 (SG$50) from Bugis to Changi Business Park. Both on-demand and advance bookings will be accepted, the company said.

Noting that the luxury market has been badly affected by the pandemic and this has led to the decline of driver earnings, Ryde will charge 10% service fees for driver partners to provide them with jobs and also allow them to take home more for each ride.

Only professional drivers with the highest ratings will be allowed to accept RydeLUXE jobs. Car models that are currently accepted are the 6-seater Toyota Alphard and Vellfire models.

“The launch of RydeLUXE reflects our belief and commitment to introduce innovative features for the ride-hailing market. It also marks a significant milestone for us, as we enter the ultra-luxury market and cater to a different clientele.” said Terence Zou, founder and chief executive officer of Ryde Technologies (left).

Ryde, a Singapore-based mobility app, was first launched as the city state’s first carpooling app, which has since expanded into private-hire and taxi booking services. To date, Ryde’s app has been downloaded close to 700,000 times.