Uber and Car Empire offer affordable, pre-loved EVs to drivers and delivery people in Brisbane and the Gold Coast

Uber and Car Empire are joining forces to accelerate Australia’s second hand electric vehicle (EV) market with an Australian-first pilot. From today, Uber drivers and Uber Eats delivery people in Brisbane and the Gold Coast can access affordable offers on pre-loved EVs, available on Uber’s vehicle marketplace.

Car Empire is a leading pre-owned car dealership specialising in high-quality electric vehicles with a supply arrangement to import second hand EVs from Japan. As part of this initial program, they are offering used Nissan Leaf EVs to Uber drivers and delivery people, with financing options available for as little as $124 per week, inclusive of a three-year warranty and roadside assistance.

“For the past several years, we’ve been investing in a range of programs to lower the costs for drivers to transition to electric vehicles, but we’ve always believed a thriving second hand EV marketplace would be a key catalyst to accelerate adoption across our platform,” said Emma Foley, Managing Director of Uber Australia and New Zealand. “We’re thrilled to have found a partner in Car Empire, who is helping us bring this vision to life.”   

Uber has committed to eliminating vehicle emissions across its platform by 2040, and since 2021 has  helped bring down the costs of driving an EV on the Uber platform – from halving their service fees to vehicle partnerships and discounted public charging. As a result, Uber has seen EV uptake on the Uber platform outpace that of the general population by a factor of four, which is particularly impactful considering an EV on a rideshare platform realises four times the emissions savings compared to private ownership.

However, despite making up 8.5% of new car sales, EVs make up only 0.6% of Australia’s second hand car market currently.*

“The Australian market for used electric vehicles is currently quite limited,” said David Cosgrove, Director of Car Empire. “However, Car Empire, through strategic partnerships, has the unique capability to access a substantial volume of quality used EVs in Japan and import them into Australia. This not only provides consumers with a broader selection but also contributes positively to reducing emissions across the country.”

Once behind the wheel of a pre-loved Nissan Leaf, Uber drivers and Uber Eats delivery people will be able to curb their running costs by removing the need to pay for petrol. And with exclusive discounts on EV charging available via the Uber Pro program, they can reap additional savings. The Nissan Leaf is eligible to complete both Uber X and Uber Green trips on the platform.

“The decarbonisation of Australia’s transport sector is critical to achieving our national emissions targets, and we know the transition to electric vehicles will require whole-of-system collaboration,” said Samatha Johnson, CEO of the Electric Vehicle Council. “We applaud Uber as they set out to remove barriers to EV ownership for rideshare and delivery drivers.” 

Last week, Uber announced a multi-year strategic partnership designed to bring 100,000 new BYD electric vehicles onto the Uber platform across key global markets. This builds on the local agreement signed last year with EV Direct to make 10,000 BYD EVs available to Uber drivers partners via a range of flexible financing arrangements.

 

*Sources: Electric Vehicle Council, Australian Automotive Dealer Association