Uber is falling behind on its electrification goals

Less than 5% of kilometres driven on the Uber platform are in fully electric vehicles, new data from Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. 

Last year Uber announced that half of its rides in seven European capitals would be emissions-free by 2025. 

However new data collected by T&E shows that the average emissions of Uber’s trips have fallen by just 6%, to 97.2 gCO2/km, in 18 months.

Lisbon, London, and Amsterdam have the highest rates of electric rides on the Uber platform, between 6 and 9%. But Paris, Madrid, Berlin and Brussels are lagging behind, with almost no electric cars on offer for passengers.

According to T&E, Uber has done better where it already had to – for example, the Portuguese, British and Dutch capitals require company operations to go electric between now and 2025.

Whereas in Brussels or Berlin, where no regulatory push yet exists, Uber has made little to no progress.

Saul Lopez, electric fleets program manager at T&E, said: ‘Over a year after its big electric pledge, Uber’s progress looks bleak. This should serve as a lesson to leaders meeting in Glasgow. Corporate pledges are no substitute for governments at all levels taking measures to defend their citizens’ health and the climate.’

Uber has a little over three years left to reach 50% electric rides. But T&E warns that the target is an aggregated percentage across the seven cities, which means that if London and Amsterdam both reach 100%, Brussels and Berlin can stay at zero.

Saul Lopez added: ‘Uber should be doing more but so should governments. In Amsterdam and London, it’s cleaning up its fleet faster because the authorities have set up electrification mandates and effective ultra-low emissions zones. Clear targets for having zero-emissions fleets will give transport operators and charging providers the certainty they need to invest.’

In related news, Air Quality News talks to Chris Hook, head of clean air at Uber UK, to find out how the world’s largest private hire vehicle company plans to reduce its air pollution impact.