Uber boss: ‘London a leader in electrification’ as new net zero measures unfurled
Uber has today announced a host of new goals and features to hit net zero, including a target for all Uber Eats drivers to use zero emission vehicles by 2040.
Under the new features, passengers will be able to track the emissions they have avoided when choosing zero-carbon drives, as the firm looks to expand its electric vehicle (EV) segment.
Other new features include additions for drivers, who will be able to track costs they incur through EV charging and can now access charge point recommendations based on cost efficiency.
London Heathrow is among a number of airports who will offer new dedicated airport pickup spots for zero-emission Uber drivers, as well as a 10 per cent discount for riders who use them.
The ride-hailing titan also unveiled new net zero goals, which include hitting net zero on its Uber Eats platform by 2040, and a goal to remove all plastic waste by 2030. Restaurants who use Uber Eats will also be incentivised to ditch plastic packaging.
Speaking at the company’s first sustainability conference in London, Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s CEO, said that the two biggest aims for the firm were reducing plastic waste and encouraging a move to electric vehicles, with a transition to climate-friendly motors the company’s “north star.”
London, he said, is “a leader in electrification… and that’s no accident,” although the world was not making the transition far enough.
EVs are still “too expensive, charging is still too confusing” and “people worry about” its availability, he explained.
The firm said it would achieve its electric goals by expanding partnerships, including with leaders in e-mobility such as Cooltra and Human Forest.
In a statement accompanying the announcement, Khoshrawi said: “Driving down emissions is the defining challenge of our generation, and every day we make dozens of choices that impact the planet, from the food we eat to the transportation we choose.”