All Londoners – including riders and drivers who use our app – know that air pollution is a big issue affecting the capital. At Uber, we are determined to play our part in making cities healthier places for people to live and work.

Our Clean Air Plan is a big step towards helping to tackle air pollution in London – with a bold aim for every car on the app in the capital to be fully electric in 2025.

The Plan is aimed at addressing some of the key challenges drivers face in upgrading to cleaner vehicles. As part of Uber’s Clean Air Plan:

  • From early next year, a ‘clean air fee’ of 15p per mile will be included on every trip booked through the Uber app in London – every penny of which will go towards helping drivers to upgrade into an electric vehicle as well as other clean air initiatives. On an average trip in London, this will mean a clean air fee of around 45p.
  • Every driver using the app in London will be able to get assistance to help them move into an electric car. The amount of support drivers will receive towards the cost of an electric vehicle will be based on the number of miles they have driven on the app. For example, a driver using the app for an average of 40 hours per week could expect around £3,000 of support towards an EV in two years’ time and £4,500 in three years.
  • We expect to raise more than £200m to support drivers transitioning to electric vehicles over the next few years.
  • As we move towards our aim for all cars on the app to be fully electric in London in 2025, we anticipate the first 20,000 drivers upgrading to electric vehicles by the end of 2021.

In addition to the cost of an electric vehicle, the other key barrier identified by an Energy Saving Trust report into our EV pilot was the availability of charging points. That’s why, to help achieve an all electric vision, Uber is working with a number of third parties:

  • Uber has teamed up with several leading home charging suppliers (BP ChargeMaster, EO Charging, EVBox, Franklin Energy, NewMotion, Pod Point and Swarco EVolt) who can provide more affordable charging options to drivers using our app so they can charge their car quickly and efficiently at home.
  • We have already partnered with ChargePoint to provide a number of rapid charging stations in central London to existing drivers of electric vehicles.
  • We are also working with other industry players on ways to improve London’s charging infrastructure, including by using anonymised data to provide insights into charging patterns and behaviour.

Another element of our Clean Air Plan is a diesel scrappage scheme aimed at removing 1,000 of the most polluting cars from London’s roads which will also launch early next year. The first 1,000 people in London to scrap a pre-Euro 4 diesel vehicle and provide an official scrappage certificate will receive up to £1,500 of credit to spend on Uber or uberPOOL rides.

Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, said:

“The Mayor of London has set out a bold vision to tackle air pollution in the capital and we’re determined to do everything we can to back it. Our £200 million Clean Air Plan is a long-term investment in the future of London aimed at going all electric in the capital in 2025. Over time, it’s our goal to help people replace their car with their phone by offering a range of mobility options – whether cars, bikes, scooters or public transport – all in the Uber app.”

Jasmine Whitbread, CEO, London First, said:

“London is stepping up to cut emissions and improve air quality – and bold initiatives from business, the public sector and Londoners themselves are what’s needed. So it’s great to see Uber helping drivers make the switch to electric as we continue to work with the Mayor’s Taskforce to build up the at-home and public charging networks London needs.”

Chris Large, Senior Partner at Global Action Plan, the charity behind Clean Air Day, said:

“Two major barriers slowing the uptake of electric cars are still the purchase price and the substandard charging network. Uber’s efforts to overcome these barriers should be commended. The aim for London Uber journeys to use only fully electric cars by 2025 is one of the most ambitious aims of any major company in the future mobility sector.”

Matthew Eastwood, Head of Transport at the Energy Saving Trust, said:

“Our work with Uber on electric vehicles has allowed us both to develop an understanding of the impact driving an electric vehicle has on licensed private-hire drivers. The report highlighted where electric vehicles worked well and where there are challenges. These learnings will be extremely valuable in support of the electrification of this important area of road transport.”