Uber Technologies, the global ride hailing services, announced that every vehicle on its global platform will be electric by 2040.
They also pledged to contribute $800 million by 2025 to help drivers switch to battery-powered vehicles. This includes discounts for vehicles purchased or leased from partner automakers.
US based Uber, who at the beginning of February reported that it had 5 million drivers worldwide, said that it formed partnerships with General Motors along with the Nissan, Mitsubishi and Renault alliance.
Taking advantage of advanced infrastructure and regulatory support in the regions, Uber has promised that the vehicles on its platform in Europe, United States and Canada will be zero-emission by 2030.
The GM and Renault alliance deals are focused on the United States, Canada and Europe. Uber said it was in discussions with other manufacturers for more partnerships.
Uber ‘s plan follows years of criticism from environmental groups and city officials about the pollution and congestion caused by its ride hail vehicles and calls for the electrification of the fleet.
Lyft Inc, Uber’s smaller rival in the US, promised in June that it would switch to 100% electric vehicles by 2030, but said it would not provide any direct financial support to drivers.
Ownership of electric vehicles are currently more expensive than gasoline run vehicles and Uber said that it aims to change this.
The company also released data on its emissions footprint and stated that it would continue to publish such reports in the future.
Uber said that its US and Canadian passenger trips produce 41 percent more carbon dioxide per mile than the average private car when the miles spent cruising between passengers are included.
Stricter environmental regulations are leaving the automakers scrambling to invest billions to overhaul their operations to electric, especially in the European countries. But consumer demand for electric vehicles continues to remain on the lower side.
Hence, the latest plans from Uber could prove to be beneficial for the auto industry.
Uber is also working with global charging providers like EVgo and BP to provide discounts and expand the location of charging stations for ride-hail drivers – as this is generally seen as a major hurdle to wider Electric Vehicle adoption.
