Uber is accelerating its commitment to an emissions-free future, with a major announcement set to transform ridesharing in New Zealand.
During the global climate event GO–GET Zero in London, Uber's CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, revealed new initiatives to accelerate the company’s goal towards becoming a zero-emissions platform by 2040.
In New Zealand, this transition takes a significant step forward with Uber Green, the company's eco-friendly rideshare service, becoming fully electric by April 2025.
Uber Green, which currently offers low-emissions trips in hybrid or electric vehicles (EVs), is set to become New Zealand’s first fully electric rideshare product.
By 2025, hybrid vehicles will be phased out, and only fully electric cars will be allowed on the Uber Green platform, while pricing will remain at par with Uber X.
Emma Foley, Managing Director of Uber Australia and New Zealand, emphasised the company's role in supporting both driver-partners and environmentally conscious Kiwis.
“We hear regularly from our driver partners that high purchase costs are the biggest blocker when it comes to driving an EV. Knowing this, we feel a responsibility to use the power of our platform to help bring down those costs,” Foley said, addressing the high upfront cost of EVs for Uber drivers.
Uber is also doubling down on efforts to make EVs more accessible for drivers. Following a successful pilot with BYD New Zealand, Uber has committed to supplying 500 BYD EVs to Kiwi driver partners.
These vehicles, including models like the Dolphin, Atto 3 and Seal, will be available through flexible financing plans tailored exclusively for Uber drivers.
Warren Wilmot, Country Manager of BYD New Zealand, highlighted the environmental and safety benefits of the initiative: “Having fewer cars on the road and cleaner mobility options for the New Zealand public works towards our mission.”
To further ease the financial burden, Uber New Zealand is expanding its partnership with bp charge, providing discounted EV charging at over 170 charging bays nationwide. These discounts will vary based on a driver's Uber Pro tier, further reducing the operational costs of EVs.
As of Q3 2024, Uber reported over 400 EVs on its New Zealand platform, which completed more than 220,000 trips.
These zero-emissions rides account for around 4% of all kilometres driven on the platform. However, Uber is committed to increasing this number as demand for environmentally friendly transportation grows.
The introduction of more EVs, along with incentives for drivers, positions Uber Green as a frontrunner in New Zealand’s shift to sustainable transport options.
With Uber Green transitioning to fully electric, and partnerships with BYD and bp charge removing cost barriers, it’s clear that the future of ridesharing in New Zealand is electric.
As Kirsten Corson, Chair of Drive Electric, put it: “This is a game-changing initiative... 500 more EVs on the roads, better still it means more New Zealanders experiencing EVs when they get an Uber.”