Uber has introduced a new ‘EV Preference’ option, allowing passengers to specifically choose an electric vehicle for their rides. The feature was announced by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi at an event in London, where he also unveiled the ‘EV Mentor’ program aimed at addressing drivers’ concerns about transitioning to electric vehicles.
Khosrowshahi emphasized Uber’s commitment to becoming a zero-emission platform by 2040, noting that while the overall growth of EVs has slowed in some regions, sales remain strong, and electric vehicles are gaining significant traction on the Uber platform. He stressed the importance of collaborative efforts from policymakers and other businesses to achieve these sustainability goals.
In addition to the EV preference feature, Uber launched a chatbot powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT to assist drivers with queries related to EVs. Khosrowshahi also emphasized that Uber now offers zero-emission rides in 200 cities spanning 32 countries.
“Uber is electrifying a wide range of transport modes globally, from tuk-tuks in India and e-bikes in Kenya to electric boats in Paris and EV trucks through Uber Freight,” said Khosrowshahi. He also shared that in leading European cities, one in five miles traveled through Uber is in an EV, and in London, that figure rises to one in three. He called for more affordable EV options and greater incentives for those driving them most frequently.
