Yandex has acquired the “Take Charge!” power bank rental service and is integrating it into its Yandex Go ecosystem. This new business line will join other Yandex Go rental services, such as car sharing, scooters, and bicycles. Artem Molchanov, COO of Yandex Go, will lead the new division.
Focus On Urban Mobility
The goal of this initiative is to simplify urban mobility. The “Take Charge!” team plans to expand the availability of charging stations and vehicles, focusing on areas with high demand. Yandex’s advanced demand forecasting and traffic flow analysis will help pinpoint these locations.
To accelerate the rollout, the company will seek new partners through a franchise model.
Significant Investment Planned
Yandex has committed to investing over 2 billion rubles in charging station infrastructure over the next two years. The charging rental feature will be integrated into the Yandex Go app by the first quarter of 2025.
Industry speculation about Yandex’s interest in “Take Charge!” began in September 2024, with experts predicting its inclusion in the Yandex Go lineup.