Uber Raises Rates in London to Set Up Driver EV Fund
Ride-hailing service Uber Technologies Inc. says it is raising its rates in London by 20 cents per mile to pay its drivers in an effort to make it easier for them to switch to electric vehicles.
#hybrid
Ride-hailing service Uber Technologies Inc. says it is raising its rates in London by 20 cents per mile to pay its drivers in an effort to make it easier for them to switch to electric vehicles.
The scheme is part of Uber’s goal to deploy only electric vehicles in London by 2025. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi tells reporters the fees will be used to create £200 million ($258 million) to help drivers cover the high cost of purchasing an EV. He emphasizes that Uber will not keep any of the money for itself.
Uber estimates that a driver who works 40 hours per week could earn £4,500 ($5,800) over three years to apply to the price of an EV. Khosrowshahi says drivers who use the program are not obligated to use the EV they buy only for Uber trips. Unused funds earmarked for a driver who quits will be spent on other “green” initiatives.
Uber is unveiling the program as it prepares to appeal a court ruling that its drivers should be entitled to such benefits as overtime and paid vacations. Uber has contended that its drivers are independent workers.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Cobots: 14 Things You Need to Know
What jobs do cobots do well? How is a cobot programmed? What’s the ROI? We asked these questions and more to four of the leading suppliers of cobots.
-
On Fuel Cells, Battery Enclosures, and Lucid Air
A skateboard for fuel cells, building a better battery enclosure, what ADAS does, a big engine for boats, the curious case of lean production, what drivers think, and why Lucid is remarkable
-
Multiple Choices for Light, High-Performance Chassis
How carbon fiber is utilized is as different as the vehicles on which it is used. From full carbon tubs to partial panels to welded steel tube sandwich structures, the only limitation is imagination.