Until Teslas can drive and valet park themselves, celebrities are going to need Motev to chauffeur them around in the luxury electric cars. Motev is an all-Tesla livery service in California backed solely by award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, and it’s white-glove service is reportedly in high demand by the Hollywood elite attending the Oscars on Sunday, according to an article in Fast Company.
A better way to Uber
In many ways, Motev is the anti-Uber. Passengers book vehicles by the hour, not the ride. Its fleet of Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles are equipped with chilled towels and red carpet “emergency kits,” and offer aromatherapy to create a luxe environment. All drivers are employees rather than contractors, and have Class B commercial licenses. They’re trained in safety, work a set number of hours each week, and receive 100 percent paid medical benefits. To help protect passengers, all drivers are fingerprinted, must pass third-party background checks, and are subject to random drug screening.
Uber also offers a similar service in Madrid; UberOne is a fleet of Teslas operated by licensed livery drivers that are available for hire through its app. These electric sedans may not offer aromatherapy to calm nerves, but they are equipped with Wi-Fi hotspots to keep commuters and executives hard at work while stuck in traffic.
Drivers thoroughly vetted and trained in safety measures
Motev’s worker-friendly and safety ethics aren’t by accident. The company was founded by former Teamster Robert Gaskill, who was part of Freeman’s personal security detail, according to FastCo. Freeman is the sole investor in Motev, and is also key to helping the nascent start-up score high profile clients. It was used to chauffeur actors to and from the set in New York for CBS’s Madam Secretary—and this Sunday, it’s fully booked because of the Oscars.
At $80 an hour to start, its fees are higher than the Silicon Valley mobility company’s ride-hailing prices…but on the other hand, there’e no unpredictable surge fare. And booking by the hour ensures that you’ll have a return ride waiting for you at the end of the Vanity Fair party.