Uber Expands Green Rides to 1,400 Cities | Sustainable Transportation

Uber has broadened its reach to over 1,400 cities throughout North America with a program designed to encourage drivers to utilize all-electric and hybrid vehicles. This expansion includes new areas such as Austin, Houston, Miami, and New York City, all as part of the ride-hailing service’s larger objective to operate as a completely zero-emission platform by the year 2040.

This initiative, called Uber Green, provides customers with the choice of requesting a ride in an EV or hybrid electric vehicle. Drivers earn an additional $0.50 from a $1 fee applied to each Uber Green trip they complete. Uber announced on Tuesday that it is incorporating this program into its Uber Pass membership service, offering members a 10% discount on “green” trips – the same reduction in price as a typical ride.

The effectiveness of Uber Green is naturally dependent on its success in motivating drivers to transition to electric vehicles. The company has allocated $800 million to facilitate drivers’ adoption of electric vehicles by 2025.

Currently, Uber is initiating the rollout of programs through collaborations with vehicle manufacturers, charging network companies, and electric vehicle rental and fleet businesses to offer additional incentives. Uber stated on Tuesday that drivers in Los Angeles can now rent electric vehicles through a partnership with Avis. This program will be available across the country in 2021.  

Uber has also established a partnership with Ample. Beginning this month, drivers in San Francisco can rent vehicles equipped with Ample’s battery swapping technology, enabling them to exchange electric vehicle batteries in just a few minutes. 

The company has also broadened its collaboration with EVgo to provide drivers using its ride-hailing platform with access to discounted charging at more than 800 locations across the U.S.

Achieving Uber’s zero-emission target requires more than simply encouraging drivers and riders to use EVs. The company is also developing other programs, including its journey-planning tool for public transit users. This feature, now accessible in over 40 cities worldwide, is integrated into the Uber app and allows users to plan their public transportation routes, including walking directions to stations and up-to-date schedules. Uber announced on Tuesday that it has added this feature for users in Atlanta, Auckland, Brisbane, Buenos Aires, Guadalajara, Philadelphia, Rome, Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai. 

Uber is also introducing to Mexico City and London a trip planner that integrates ride-hailing with walking directions and connections to city buses, subways, or trains. This feature was initially launched in Sydney and Chicago.