If you talk to NYC Uber and Lyft (TLC) drivers—or even some passengers—you might hear them mention a vehicle they’ve never seen before.
According to NYC Open Data, American Lease (AL)–owned entities, the largest for-hire vehicle (FHV) rental company in New York City, now operate over 1,500 electric vehicles (EVs) in their fleet. Just a few years ago, that number wouldn’t have reached even 20% of that total. So, what changed?
The answer might surprise you. AL’s rapid shift to electrification is closely tied to the bankruptcy of EV startup Fisker, which created a unique opportunity for the company to scale its electric fleet quickly—and in a financially sustainable way. Of the more than 1,500 EVs mentioned above, over 800 are TLC-plated Fisker Oceans—a number that continues to grow.
Fisker Oceans & Toyota BZs
Last year, American Lease made headlines by acquiring more than 3,000 Fisker Oceans—nearly a third of all Oceans ever produced—following Fisker’s bankruptcy. The deal wasn’t simple, involving months of negotiation, logistics, and coordination across ports and warehouses from California to Belgium. But with an average acquisition cost of around $14,000 per vehicle—on cars originally priced at over $60,000—it was a strategic win that enabled AL to offer EVs at a highly competitive rental price point.
Alongside the Oceans, American Lease has also built up a sizable fleet of Toyota BZs (formerly known as the BZ4X), making it likely one of the largest all-electric Toyota fleets in the country. While initially popular, the Oceans’ design, range, and similar pricing have started to outshine the BZs among drivers (but this could change over time).
The aggressive push into electrification aligns with New York City’s Green Rides Initiative, which mandates that 100% of Uber and Lyft trips be fulfilled by either EVs or wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) by 2030. With more than 1,500 EVs on the road already, American Lease is positioning itself early to meet both regulatory goals and evolving market demands.
Conversation with American Lease
In today’s podcast, Dawood Mian, founder of AutoMarketplace, sits down with Josh Bleiberg, a key executive at American Lease who played a central role in the acquisition of more than 3,000 Fisker Oceans and is helping lead the company’s broader transition to electric vehicles. Josh walks us through the behind-the-scenes details of the Fisker deal—including its surprisingly interesting origin story—and American Lease’s unique journey to building NYC’s largest all-electric FHV fleet.
The conversation spans a wide range of topics: from the logistics and strategy behind acquiring (and continuing to support) inventory from a now-defunct automaker, to the practical realities of onboarding drivers, maintaining EVs, building out fast-charging infrastructure, and managing insurance. Josh also discusses how TLC drivers are adapting to EVs, what the company has learned about operating an EV fleet at scale, and even shares his perspective on the long-term implications of autonomous vehicles (AVs).
We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Intro 0:50 Background on American Lease and Josh 3:12 What’s behind the big EV and Fisker bet? 07:04 Origin of Fisker transaction 10:04 Getting the Fisker Oceans ready for NYC TLC 12:46 Setting up Fisker parts & service infrastructure 15:01 Managing Fisker software & updates 16:40 How many Fisker Oceans are currently active on NYC streets? 18:21 Toyota BZ fleet and recent NYC TLC driver complaints around BZ, specifically range 20:32 Fisker Ocean vs. Toyota BZ: range, performance, driver preferences 23:15 Do NYC TLC drivers like working with the Fisker Ocean? Return rate? 25:29 How much does it cost to rent? What’s the thinking behind $300 per week? 27:49 EV charging problems in NYC? What are drivers saying? 29:54 Does American Lease have plans build EV fast (Level 3) chargers? 31:20 Why haven’t you built a Tesla fleet? 33:02 Operational experience with managing an increasingly EV fleet 34:18 Insurance & repair experience with EVs, Fisker & Toyota BZ 41:52 Fleet financial margins – ICE vs. EV (Part 1) 43:26 What is the ideal EV for a fleet? 44:22 Fleet financial margins – ICE vs. EV (Part 2) 46:19 How can regulators and policymakers help NYC TLC drivers & fleets transition to EVs 50:06 Importance of understanding the NYC driver experience with EVs 51:40 Advice for other fleets transitioning to EVs 53:34 Thoughts on autonomous vehicles (AVs) & Waymo 55:49 Closing remarks and how to get in touch with Josh (josh@americanlease.net)
Quick Summary
American Lease Overview: American Lease is a New York City-based rental provider for Uber, Lyft, and other ride-hailing drivers, operating since 2004 and currently managing a fleet of over 5,000 vehicles.
EV Strategy Driven by Regulation: Their shift to electric vehicles is primarily driven by NYC's Green Rides Initiative, which mandates all Uber / Lyft rides be in EVs or WAVs by 2030, with incremental targets leading up to that date.
Fisker Fleet Acquisition: American Lease acquired over 3,000 Fisker Ocean EVs after the company went bankrupt, leveraging the opportunity for a large-scale, discounted fleet investment to support affordable rentals.
Toyota BZ Fleet Integration: In addition to Fiskers, they also invested in Toyota BZ EVs, though uptake has been slower due to internal competition with the more luxurious and longer-range Ocean.
Deployment and Support Challenges: The Fisker rollout required significant operational efforts including sourcing parts globally, managing software recalls, and onboarding former Fisker engineers to ensure support and maintenance.
Driver Experience and Adoption: Despite initial concerns, most drivers are adapting well to the EV transition and Fiskers, citing comfort and cost-effectiveness, with few returning to ICE vehicles.
Charging Infrastructure Adaptation: Though NYC lacks fast charging infrastructure, drivers have adapted charging strategies around their routes; American Lease plans to build public fast chargers at their locations.
Fleet Economics and Pricing: The Fiskers are rented at ~$300/week—extremely competitive due to low acquisition costs. This pricing helps offset the challenges EV drivers face, like charging downtime.
Operational and Insurance Impacts: Repairs are manageable with part availability. The fleet is self-insured, and EVs haven’t posed significant added insurance risk due to smart design and driver adaptation.
Profitability Outlook: Running an EV fleet is currently less profitable than an ICE fleet due to high maintenance complexity, depreciation, and infrastructure demands, though it remains a strategic long-term move.
Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Outlook: While not a current operational focus, American Lease acknowledges the potential disruption autonomous vehicles (AVs) may bring in the future, but sees practical EV adoption as the immediate priority in preparing for regulatory and market shifts.
