Uber plans electric option in London
Uber plans to develop electric car incentives and clean air fees in London, the ride-hailing firm has announced.
The move, part of the firm’s clean air plan for London, aims to assist its drivers in transitioning to EVs through using funding from customer journeys to purchase vehicles. It aims for all drivers on its app to be electric by 2025.
From 2022, a ‘clean air fee’ of 15p per mile will be included on every trip booked through the Uber app in London. All cash raised from this scheme will be used to assist drivers to upgrade into an EV as well as other clean air initiatives. On an average trip in London, this will mean a clean air fee of around 45p.
The amount of support drivers will receive towards the cost of an electric vehicle will be based on the number of miles they have driven on the app, the firm said. For example, a driver using the app for an average of 40 hours per week could expect around £3,000 of support towards an EV in two years’ time and £4,500 in three years.
Uber expects to raise more than £200m to support drivers transitioning to electric vehicles over the next few years with 20,000 drivers upgrading by the end of 2021.
The firm has also teamed up with charging suppliers – including BP ChargeMaster, EO Charging, EVBox, Franklin Energy, NewMotion, Pod Point and Swarco EVolt – to offer more affordable charging options to drivers using its app so they can charge their car quickly and efficiently at home. It has already partnered with ChargePoint on rapid charging stations in central London for existing Uber drivers.
Uber is also using anonymised data to provide insights into charging patterns and behaviour as well as a diesel scrappage scheme to remove 1,000 dirty vehicles
Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, said: “The Mayor of London has set out a bold vision to tackle air pollution in the capital and we’re determined to do everything we can to back it. Our £200 million Clean Air Plan is a long-term investment in the future of London aimed at going all electric in the capital in 2025. Over time, it’s our goal to help people replace their car with their phone by offering a range of mobility options – whether cars, bikes, scooters or public transport – all in the Uber app.”
Jasmine Whitbread, CEO, London First, said: “London is stepping up to cut emissions and improve air quality – and bold initiatives from business, the public sector and Londoners themselves are what’s needed. So it’s great to see Uber helping drivers make the switch to electric as we continue to work with the Mayor’s Taskforce to build up the at-home and public charging networks London needs.”
Image courtesy of Uber
