Starting Thursday, the ride-sharing service Uber is rolling out its new Comfort Electric offering to 15 additional U.S. cities, bringing the total to 25 areas across North America. This option allows riders to choose an electric vehicle (EV) when ordering a car, such as a Tesla, Polestar or Ford Mustang Mach-E.
It’s part of Uber’s larger plan to push for an all-electric fleet by 2030. “We have a target to be fully electric in the U.S., Canada and Europe,” Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told CBS News in a recent interview, adding that drivers will not be allowed on the platform by 2030 if they aren’t driving an EV.
Besides the environmental benefits, Uber points out that drivers with an EV can earn more per hour as a result of higher fares, gas savings and an extra $1-per-trip incentive for each trip they complete (up to $4K annually). For those who don’t own a Tesla or other EV, Uber plans to spend $800 million to help offset the cost for its drivers, according to CBS. Late last year, the company partnered with Hertz to allow drivers to rent EVs.
The bad news for riders? There are currently only 25,000 EVs for use across the country on Uber’s platform, although the company hopes to double that by next year. This means if you choose the Comfort Electric option, you might be in for a longer wait.
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