Firefly, the nation’s fastest-growing in-car and car-top mobility media company, and a Google Ventures-backed startup announced that it will collaborate with Hyundai in promoting its vehicles – including EVs – to rideshare fleets and drivers across key US cities. The vehicles will be ready to have Firefly’s in-car and on-car screens installed, generating advertising revenue to subsidize the fleets and drivers.
Starting today, fleet owners and individual drivers on rideshare platforms can request early access to this pilot program, dubbed Hyundai Drive by Firefly.
“We’re thrilled to launch this program with such a forward-thinking automotive company,” said Kaan Gunay, founder and CEO of Firefly. “It’s refreshing that Hyundai Motor America shares our vision to completely reimagine and democratize the future of mobility while greatly accelerating adoption of zero-emission vehicles.”
With opportunities for drivers to earn additional income upon purchasing a new vehicle by having Firefly’s smart display screen technology integrated onto and inside each vehicle, Hyundai Drive by Firefly could help cover monthly car lease/financing costs for qualified drivers and fleets for the duration of the program. The program will be available everywhere Firefly is on the road.
Fleets and drivers participating in the Hyundai Drive by Firefly program and who continue to qualify may enjoy annual cash benefits totaling up to $3,600/year, which can heavily subsidize ownership of their vehicles and cover rising gas prices.
In the first phase of the program, Firefly will enroll professional drivers and fleet operators who purchase new Hyundai vehicles in its program, which focuses on catering to the shared mobility, taxi, ridesharing, food, grocery, and last-mile delivery segment.
“We’re very pleased to work with Firefly on this program, as we are both dedicated to completely changing how cities look and function with automotive-centered technology,” said Fred DePerez, vice president, product line management and sales planning, Hyundai Motor America. “And I’m particularly happy that it enables us to accelerate the adoption of our low emission vehicles.”
Because most gig revenue for drivers is eroded by costs incurred in the financing, maintaining, and insuring of their vehicles, the mission of this pilot program is to help equip drivers to sustain a living income through gig platforms.
Firefly believes this program will be crucial for the future of mobility and to drive electric vehicle adoption, especially for the professional gig-economy drivers and fleet segments. While US consumers can earn some tax credits by directly purchasing EVs, these subsidies only cover a small fraction of the car cost and apply to just some cars.
“At CRADLE, we understand that greater options for mobility significantly improve people’s lives,” said Henry Chung, senior vice president, head of Hyundai CRADLE. “Hyundai Drive by Firefly will provide scalable monetization opportunities for the future of mobility and accelerate the adoption of Hyundai vehicles among Firefly’s drivers and fleets.”
