It looks like it could be the end of the road for ICE-powered Uber rides as Dara Khosrowshahi, the company’s CEO, wants drivers to embrace EVs. The company’s shift to electric power has been on the cards for some time, but now Khosrowshahi has seemingly laid out a deadline of 2030 for those on the platform to get on board, or risk being left out in the cold.
Speaking to CBS News, Khosrowshahi said that the company has a target of going all-electric by the end of the decade in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. “If we’re doing our job we’re gonna be all-electric,” said the CEO when asked if ICE-powered vehicles would still be allowed on the platform.
Later this week, the company will expand an option to allow riders to select a battery-powered car for their ride. Known as Uber’s Comfort Electric option, the program will be available in 25 different cities and states in North America.
Related: Uber Users Can Now Request A Ride In A Tesla Or Polestar EV
But with just 25,000 electric vehicles on the platform out of an estimated one million total drivers, the company has a lot to do to make the switch. Part of Khosrowshahi’s plan includes doubling the amount of EVs available by 2023, while allocating $800 million to help offset the higher initial purchase costs of an EV over an ICE vehicle.
Uber pays EV drivers an extra dollar for every trip they make, while it also provides discounts on charging. In addition, Uber has partnered with Hertz to allow drivers to rent Teslas, either on a weekly or a monthly basis.
At $344 per week from Hertz, the Tesla Model 3 hires aren’t cheap, but that figure also includes insurance, basic maintenance, and unlimited mileage. One driver who made the switch found that she had more than doubled her tips since switching from an ICE-powered Toyota Camry.
