Uber incentivizes its drivers to switch to electric vehicles

Uber is offering incentives to drivers to transition to cleaner vehicles while acknowledging that emissions from its rides have risen in recent years. The San Francisco-based ride-hailing giant said Tuesday that a ride in one of its vehicles remains 41% more carbon-intensive than taking a trip in a personal car with others. “We can do a lot better,” said Shinpei Tsay, director of policy, cities and transportation at Uber.

Many people have shied away from traveling in shared vehicles due to the pandemic. Gross bookings for Uber plunged 73% in the second quarter, and Lyft’s number of active riders fell 60% compared to the same time last year. Both companies are banking on an eventual return.

Uber said all rides will be in electric vehicles by 2030 in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Lyft, which operates in the U.S. and Canada, said in June that its rides would be in 100% electric vehicles by 2030.

A major hurdle to converting to electric vehicles is cost. To help drivers make the switch, Uber drivers will earn an extra 50 cents per ride for hybrid vehicles and $1.50 extra for fully-electric vehicles in more than 15 cities.

■ General Motors announced its second major electric vehicle partnership in less than a week, this time a $2 billion deal with startup Nikola. GM will take an 11% ownership stake in the company and will engineer and build Nikola’s hydrogen fuel cell and electric pickup truck.