Uber offers London drivers £5000 to switch to an electric vehicle

Mon 20 May 2024 View all news

Uber is offering £5,000 grants to its drivers in London to support them in making the switch to an electric vehicle. The move is part of the commitment by the ride-hailing app to meet its commitment that all Uber vehicles in London will be fully electric by the end of 2025.

Uber drivers have the option of spending the grant on buying an EV or making weekly payments for rental or rent-to-buy agreements. The app is also offering discounts of £12,000 to £17,000 on selected EVs for its drivers.

25% of the miles driven by Uber drivers in London are now fully electric, but the new incentive is designed to ensure that Uber hits its 2025 target.

The company says that the grant is being funded through its Clean Air Plan. Under the plan, passengers have been charged a ‘clean air fee’ on journeys, encouraging uptake of EVs, which has led to Uber building up a £145m fund to pay for the subsidies now being offered.

Uber's EV drivers will also benefit from access to up to three months of complimentary charging credits valued at £750. Uber has also partnered with Believ and Redbridge Council to provide 170 charging points across the borough.

London's Mayor Sadiq Khan commented: “I am determined to achieve my mission to make London a net-zero city by 2030, and the electrification of our buses and cars is absolutely key to this. I welcome this initiative, which will give drivers who need it a helping hand to switch their petrol or diesel vehicle for an electric one.”

Andrew Brem, Uber's General Manager said: “Now is the time to speed up on electrification, not slow down. We cannot reach our collective zero-emission goals without continued action from policymakers and investment across the industry. Uber drivers can be the catalyst for accelerating electrification across the transport sector but collaboration will be crucial to combat air pollution and work towards a more sustainable future.” 

Image: Courtesy Uber

 


< Back to news list