Rideshare company Uber plans to add 100,000 electric vehicles to its fleet thanks to a partnership with Chinese automaker BYD.
According to Bloomberg, the two companies will offer drivers lower vehicle pricing and financing as part of a multiyear partnership that will start in Latin America before expanding to the Middle East, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Notably missing from the list is the United States, which the publication asserts is likely linked to increased tariffs in the country for Chinese automakers. Nonetheless, this is a win for clean air — toxic air pollution from vehicles has been linked to cancer in humans and animals and can also lead to other problems like neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, immune, and reproductive system damage.
Plus, more EVs on the roads will help fight rising global temperatures. While traditional combustion vehicles across the globe account for 14% of all planet-heating gases, per the Natural Resources Defense Council, EVs emit no tailpipe emissions.
This is part of a broader initiative by Uber to go emissions-free by 2030 in the U.S., Canada, and European cities. For instance, the company has already partnered with Tesla to offer discounts of up to $3,000 on select models. Plus, it offers £5,000 (almost $6,400) grants to U.K. drivers to make the transition to electric more affordable. The company claims that its drivers are going electric five times faster than private car owners.
Uber is not the only major company looking to electrify its vehicles. For one, Pepsi has announced plans to triple the size of its electric fleet.
Stella Li, executive vice president of BYD and chief executive officer of BYD America, said her company was "elated" about the new partnership with Uber.
"This collaboration marks a new era in the electrification of urban mobility, and we look forward to seeing our cutting-edge EVs become a common sight on the streets of cities worldwide," she said in a joint statement from the two companies.
Meanwhile, Uber's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi remarked on the difference the company's drivers can make by driving EVs.
"When an Uber driver makes the switch to an EV, they can deliver up to four times the emissions benefits compared to a regular motorist, simply because they are on the road more. Many riders also tell us their first experience with an EV is on an Uber trip, and we're excited to help demonstrate the benefits of EVs to more people around the world."
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
