Ground Transport Group - 'Don't take the nearest cab, take the greenest' says Uber boss

Passengers are being urged to cut pollution by choosing the greenest cab, rather than the nearest. The appeal comes from one of Uber’s bosses who wants passengers to ignore petrol and diesel cabs and PHVs which might be around the corner and instead wait until an EV is available.

Recognising that supply and demand play key roles in the green agenda, he is encouraging people to vote with their feet, which will encourage taxi and PHV firms to make the switch to EVs.

Green drive

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is committed to the company’s overall sustainability aims that all its journeys and deliveries should be carried out in “zero-emissions vehicles” by 2040. As a key part of this, he told the BBC he would prefer PHV passengers to use greener transport and not the closest cab.

As the company moves towards its greener goal, passengers using the Uber app can select a full EV ride, but often have to wait longer than they would for a petrol or diesel ride.

And for Mr Khosrowshahi, a short wait will make a big difference. He said: “A couple of minutes isn’t going to kill anyone. We’re not saying, ‘hey, wait 15 minutes’, but if you have to wait another two, three minutes to help the environment, why not make that investment?”

But passengers in many areas might be waiting longer than a couple of minutes. The BBC reports that in London “almost a third of Uber drivers have invested in an EV, so the difference in waiting times may not be long. But EV uptake is lower elsewhere in the UK and worldwide”.

The biggest reasons cited are the initial cost of new EVs, their range and lack of suitable charging stations, which have led to a slump in sales of EVs in the UK.

Expanding

Despite the obstacles for its PHVs, Uber ultimately wants its delivery service to challenge giants such as Amazon – and Mr Khosrowshahi believes EVs are key to this expansion.

But he acknowledges that the supply of EVs must improve, as well as expanding the charging network, citing China as having the solution for fully electric PHV and delivery fleets.

He told the BBC: “The Uber driver drives four to five times the miles of average drivers. For us, we want to electrify our fleet and we want to make sure that it is affordable for our drivers.”

He believes that without trade tariffs imposed on goods imported from China, Chinese-made EVs could be cheaper in the US and EU.

He is also calling on the UK’s new Labour government to reinstate the original 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, which was pushed back to 2035 by the previous Conservative administration.

And he believes there needs to be more support around infrastructure and vehicle costs to be directed to “those who drive the most, such as Uber drivers, or for corporate fleets, rather than individuals”.

Obstacles

Despite the goal of reducing pollution and protecting the environment, there are two reasons EVs are not currently a viable option for many taxi and PHV drivers – especially those who do not operate in larger towns and cities.

The first is that they often cost much more than an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle. With the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and slight increase in most fares, many drivers cannot balance the cost of a new EV against their business model.

The second is that the range of many EVs is not comparable to that of a full tank of petrol or diesel which takes a driver a couple of minutes to fill before carrying on with their shift. They need something which will comfortably get them where they need to go and if they have to recharge during a shift, it takes just a few minutes and suitable chargers are never too far away.

Choosing an EV they cannot afford and which does not meet their needs is a non-starter for taxi drivers.

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