Khosrowshahi plans to accelerate Uber’s ‘just plain better’ EV shift

Uber plans to accelerate the transition of its private hire and taxi fleet to an all-electric one, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi (pictured) told the company’s annual Green event at the London Science Museum.

He described EVs as “just plain better” than internal combustion-engined cars, and told the audience that almost 30% of all Uber miles in London were now electric. Uber drivers are switching to EVs five times faster than the average motorist, he said.

Uber unveiled new initiatives and products aimed at bolstering electric cars in the UK. It is introducing a new feature that will allow passengers to request an EV as standard, as well as plans to reward the customer who saves the most emissions with free rides for a decade.

Uber has seen the number of EVs on its platform increase from 10,000 four years ago to 182,000 globally. Uber has completed half a billion zero emissions trips globally, and offers EVs in 32 countries.

Khosrowshahi questioned the view that the EV market was slowing down: “When you hear someone talk about leading the way with EVs, you might be thinking, 'Wait a minute, is the momentum around EVs slowing down?' To some extent, you would be right, but that’s not the whole story.

“Traditional car makers are slashing prices and pushing back many of their EV goals, but the number of EV sales continues to rise. At Uber, EVs are really taking off.”

Khosrowshahi said Uber had made it easy for drivers and passengers to try electric vehicles, through test drives, events, rental partnerships, purchase discounts and the app’s Uber green option. He claimed drivers were getting more tips and have lower maintenance costs, while riders get a smoother, quieter ride.

He said: “EVs have become a politically charged issue. How you vote often determines how you feel about EVs. Here at Uber we see people from across the political spectrum, everywhere we operate, choosing EVs because they’re just plain better. No matter what your political beliefs are, better is better.”