Thread by @jpr007

"Uber signs Tesla deal to let London drivers access electric vehicles"

Uber customers’ chances of being picked up by a Tesla car have increased after the ride-hailing app secured a partnership with the US manufacturer

https://twitter.com/jpr007/status/1455711143100518404

The agreement means Uber drivers in London will be able to use clean air funds to buy or lease a Tesla car at discounted rates from Wednesday

Drivers could already use the money to switch to electric vehicles (EVs) made by other manufacturers such as Nissan Hyundai and Kia

Uber has raised more than £135 million through adding a clean air fee for all trips in London since January 2019

Funds have built up for each driver depending on how many miles they have clocked up

An Uber spokesman said a typical driver has around £3,500 to £4,000 available to put towards getting an EV

The firm has committed that all its vehicles in London will be fully electric by 2025

More than 4,000 drivers have already made the switch to an EV, and more than 90% of new vehicles joining the app are electric

Since March, passengers in central London have been able to request they are picked up by a fully electric car

Fares for the Uber Green option match those for trips by other vehicles, while drivers are charged a reduced service fee

Jamie Heywood, Uber’s general manager for northern and eastern Europe, said :

"Uber drivers are switching to electric vehicles at a much faster rate than the mass market, thanks to the lower running costs and greater earning potential of driving in an EV"

“The launch of Uber Green this year means that drivers earn more per trip in an EV, so there has never been a better time to make the switch"

“There is still a lot of work to do to drive a green recovery and clean up urban transport, but the progress we are seeing in London is significant and as a city we are leading the way globally"