A Phoenix-based startup says it's aiming to become the 'Airbnb of electric vehicle charging' with the launch of its new mobile app.
Buzze’s peer-to-peer shared network of home electric vehicle charging stations went live in the Valley Wednesday, providing a platform for residents with electric vehicle chargers to share the equipment with drivers who might not otherwise have access to a home charging system.
“We're focused on people who live in apartments or who rent their house and want to buy an EV, but don't have a place to charge it every day,” Aaron Lieberman, founder and CEO of Buzze, said.
Buzze’s app shows users a map of nearby hosts with level-two charging systems. Drivers can pick a time to charge their vehicle and the app meters power used through the car's telematics. Hosts get paid 20 cents per kilowatt, potentially allowing them to generate more than $400 a month in extra income, according to the company.
Level two chargers are capable of charging battery-electric cars from zero to 80% in four to 10 hours and plug-in hybrid electric cars in one to two hours, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The company will also provide hosts with adapters to support charging for Teslas, Lieberman said.
Buzze generates revenue via a five cent per kilowatt fee per transaction, he said.
As of Wednesday, Buzze had more than 60 hosts signed up for its platform.
“We want to be the place where you charge every Tuesday and Saturday because you live in an apartment and you can walk right over to your neighbor's house and plug in," Lieberman said. "In fact, we’re going to offer a subscription for people who want to do all their charging with us. We’ll give them a very competitive rate for that.”
The company is offering drivers free electric vehicle charging through November 15. Hosts will be compensated for those transactions.
Accelerating access to EV chargers
Lieberman — a former state representative — founded Buzze after he called off his campaign for governor of Arizona in 2022.
“I unexpectedly had some time on my hands and I had promised my son that I would give him my 10-year-old Jeep Wrangler,” he said. “I bought my first EV, a (Ford) Mustang Mach-E.”
Lieberman found that his electric vehicle charger at home was unused a majority of the time as he only needed to charge his car one night a week.
A couple of weeks later, Lieberman chatted with an Uber driver who mentioned he had to charge his Tesla at Biltmore Fashion Park because he was unable to install a charging system at his rental home.
“I just started looking more into it and seeing that EVs are growing and there's a real challenge for people who rent or live in apartments,” Lieberman said. “How are they going to get access to fast charging?”
Lieberman hired Phoenix-based software company Founders Workshop in February to build Buzze’s initial app.
“We’ve spent the past nine to 10 months really working with them on getting it to this point,” he said.
Buzze has four employees with an office in the Biltmore area.
The company is rolling out its app in Maricopa County with plans to expand nationwide.
“We want to have a successful launch in Phoenix and Maricopa County and really show that we'll get good traction,” Lieberman said. "Then, we want to start spreading this all across the country.”
