Your Uber may soon be electric
Company is trying to encourage more EV ownership among its drivers
As gas prices continue to hover near record highs, anyone who relies on a gas-powered vehicle to make a living is seeing their earnings get squeezed. For the roughly 90,000 Canadians who use their vehicles to drive passengers or deliver food for Uber, the squeeze is especially problematic.
Without any direct control over how much they can charge — Uber sets the price per ride based on contributing factors at the time it is requested — the only way drivers can offset an increase in gas prices is to lower their expenses. One approach being considered by some Uber drivers is to switch from gaspowered to electric vehicles.
With the cost of charging your vehicle being less expensive then filling your tank at a gas station, and potential savings from reduced maintenance costs, it is estimated that drivers can save as much as $2,000 per year by switching to a full-battery electric vehicle.
It is an idea that seems to be gaining speed. A recent survey conducted by Uber Canada found that 71 per cent of its drivers are interested in switching to an EV.
But making such a switch can be challenging for some drivers, given that the technology is still unfamiliar to many. On top of this, the EV landscape is changing rapidly, with numerous automakers releasing or planning to release electric and hybrid vehicles with differing ranges, performance and technology.
Getting its drivers to make the switch to EVs is something Uber said it supports. And, to make the switch easier, it has partnered with Plug’n Drive, a non-profit organiza- tion committed to accelerating EV adoption.
“As the largest mobility platform in the world, we know that our impact goes beyond our technology,” said Laura Miller, head of policy and communications for Uber Canada. “We want to do our part to support our cities and communities (to) move toward a greener future. It’s the right thing to do.”
As part of the partnership, Plug’n Drive will create and offer educational webinars about EVs, and host opportunities where ride-share and delivery drivers have an opportunity to test different vehicle makes and models. It will also provide opportunities to learn about the potential cost-saving that comes from making the switch from gas to electric.
“It’s important to consider the total cost of ownership, especially when your vehicle is your livelihood,” said Cara Clairman, president and CEO of Plug’n Drive. It was established in 2011 and operates an Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre in the Greater Toronto Area where people can test drive EVs and learn more about them.
“We know that EVs are cheaper to drive and better for the environment, but everyone’s situation is different. This program will help educate drivers on how much money they can save as well as how much they can reduce their carbon footprint by switching to an EV,” she said.
The partnership with Plug’n Drive is just one of the initiatives Uber has launched to help electrify its services. On its website, Uber has stated its goal to become a zeroemission platform in U.S. and Canadian cities, as well as in major cities around the world, by 2030.
To do this, Uber has introduced incentives aimed at enticing its drivers to change to EVs. Drivers of fully electric vehicles, for example, are eligible for the Zero Emissions incentive. This lets them earn an extra $1 on every Uber trip, up to a maximum of $4,000 per year.
In September 2020, the company launched Uber Green, a new lowemission ride option. Anyone driving an EV on the Uber platform is automatically added to Uber Green, which earns them an extra 50 cents per ride. It is paid by passengers if they select Uber Green as their ride option. This is in addition to the earnings received from the Zero Emissions incentive.
To assist with the buying of electric vehicles, which can be costlier than traditional gas-powered vehicles, a purchasing program has also been introduced by Uber in partnership with General Motors. All eligible drivers who use the Uber platform can access the GM Employee Discount on the 2021 or 2022 models of the Chevrolet Bolt EV or EUV. This earns them up to $2,869 in savings and is in addition to the currently available federal government incentive of up to $5,000, as well as other available provincial rebates depending on where the driver is based.
Promoting greater EV adoption will also means an increase demand for charging stations, especially in areas where ride share utilization is higher. In Vancouver, Uber Canada is partnering with Greenlots to build three charging stations dedicated exclusively for Uber drivers and delivery people. The stations will go online this year and Uber hopes to be able to replicate this partnership in other major North American cities based on its learnings from the Vancouver test project.