BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz Mobility sold FREENOW to Lyft, which completed the acquisition on July 31, 2025. FREENOW is now part of Lyft, extending the ride-hailing company’s business into Europe through an established, taxi-led mobility app. The sale was announced at approximately €175 million; Lyft later reported updated total consideration of €205.9 million in its 2025 annual filing.
Who bought FREENOW, and when?
Lyft announced a definitive agreement to acquire FREENOW from BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz Mobility on April 16, 2025. The companies completed the deal on July 31, 2025, according to Lyft’s closing announcement. Lyft—not BMW or Mercedes-Benz—now owns the business.
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At closing, Lyft said FREENOW had expanded into 30 additional cities in four countries since the April agreement and was available in more than 180 cities. Those are company-reported figures for July 2025, not a guarantee of current service coverage; availability depends on location and can change.
Why did BMW and Mercedes-Benz sell?
The transaction materials establish the sellers and buyer, but do not give a detailed account of the sellers’ individual strategic reasons for exiting. Lyft’s stated rationale was to grow beyond North America and gain FREENOW’s established platform, customer base, and local market expertise. Its 2025 Form 10-K describes these as benefits of the acquisition.
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FREENOW was a taxi-led European mobility app. In Lyft’s transaction materials, the company reported that in 2024 it generated more than €1 billion in gross bookings and served approximately 6.3 million riders. Online taxi accounted for approximately 78% of rides and 87% of gross bookings that year; those figures describe ride and booking mix, not revenue share. The figures are company-reported in Lyft’s SEC-filed supplemental transaction materials.
Why are two different purchase prices reported?
The figures refer to different stages of the deal, rather than competing estimates of the same announcement.
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| When and source | Reported amount | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| April 16, 2025, Lyft agreement announcement | Approximately €175 million (about $197 million) in cash | Announced consideration, subject to closing adjustments and customary conditions. Lyft’s announcement gives the signing-stage figure. |
| Lyft 2025 Form 10-K, filed in 2026 | €205.9 million | Updated total purchase consideration after subsequent updates to provisional amounts, as reported in the filing. Lyft’s annual filing gives the later figure. |
The initial announcement was an approximate cash figure made before closing adjustments. The later filing reports updated total consideration; it should not be presented as the original announced price.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the sale means for FREENOW riders and drivers
Lyft’s acquisition gave it access to FREENOW’s European platform and local expertise, while bringing FREENOW into Lyft’s wider business. At the completion announcement, Lyft CEO David Risher described the intended exchange between the companies: “Every conversation I’ve had with FREENOW drivers and team members has reminded me why we’re joining forces: to bring the best of each company to the other,” Lyft’s July 31, 2025 announcement said. That statement expresses the company’s rationale; it does not establish specific changes to service, fares, or driver terms.
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- Redeemable only via the Lyft mobile application.
- Redemption: Mobile
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
The available transaction announcements do not establish what has changed for an individual rider or driver since closing. For practical use, check the FREENOW app for service in your city and its current terms rather than assuming the July 2025 footprint or announcement describes present-day availability.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
