Uber is looking to increase utilization of EVs for its ride-sharing service, in part by updating its app to help get riders matched with EV drivers more easily.
That starts with making the Uber Green option all-electric—in some cities, at least. Uber Green currently includes both EVs and hybrids, but Uber announced Tuesday that it had enough EV drivers to go fully electric in over 40 cities globally. Prices will remain similar to the UberX fare, the company claims.
Uber and BYD
Uber is also adding a “set and forget” EV preference to its app. This automatically matches customers with an EV anytime an electric vehicle is nearby, rather than going to the Uber Green option separately. That means customers don’t have to search for an EV, although it won’t be helpful if no EVs are around when they need rides.
Instead of the typical Hyundai Ioniq 5 or equivalent, customers in certain cities will also get limited opportunities to ride in high-end EVs. Uber will launch “pop ups” with the Lotus Eletre in London and Rivian R1 models in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Miami.
Arrival Car prototype
For drivers, Uber will add an AI chatbot based on OpenAI’s GPT-4o to answer EV-specific questions, as well as an “EV mentorship program” to connect experienced EV drivers with newbies. In the U.K., 1,000 drivers will receive free home chargers from Octopus Energy and an 8% discount on public charging on that company’s network. The program is co-funded by Octopus and Chinese automaker BYD, which in August announced that it would provide 100,000 EVs to Uber and partner with the company on autonomous vehicles.
Uber has targeted all-electric rides by 2030, but will likely continue to rely on drivers choosing EVs over internal-combustion vehicles. Uber has reportedly been working on its own EVs for ride hailing for years—and showed one designed by startup Arrival in 2021—but none of them have come close to production yet. In urban areas Uber has at least been working to provide better charging facilities—like Revel’s 24/7 Manhattan station.