Uber and BYD announce a partnership that’ll bring 100,000 EVs into the ridesharing platform

BYD and ride-sharing service Uber have announced a new partnership that will see BYD delivering 100,000 EVs to the Uber network. The two companies are upbeat that the massive collaboration will accelerate the integration of electric vehicles into the passenger and ride-hailing/ sharing segment. BYD continues to square up with Tesla for the top spot in the EV market despite a stringent tariff regime preventing it from entering the lucrative US market.

The Uber-BYD engagement is a multi-year strategic partnership that will see BYD delivering 100,000 EVs onto the Uber platform across several countries. The markets cover Europe, the Middle East, Canada, Australia, and Latin America. The project will start with some key markets in Europe and Latin America. In a press statement jointly signed by both companies, it was revealed that the duo is working together to bring down the total cost of EV ownership for Uber drivers. The move is targeted at accelerating the uptake of EVs on the Uber network on a global scale. The move is also aimed at introducing millions of riders to ‘greener rides’.

The agreement, according to Uber’s CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, is the largest global agreement of its kind. It comes with great prospects for the two companies and will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of Uber drivers who switch to EVs. EVs can deliver up to four times the emission benefits compared to a regular ICE Uber car. Last January, Uber announced it was working with Tesla to enhance the accessibility of EVs to its drivers. The move was aimed at enhancing the adoption of EVs by Uber drivers and a $2,000 incentive was on offer for its drivers who wanted to switch.

It is noted that there could be several challenges drivers face in trying to transition to electric vehicles in their Uber ride-sharing service. The cost of ownership and access to convenient charging infrastructure are major impediments to such programs. It remains therefore to be seen how Uber and BYD will make the new strategy attractive to drivers on the Uber network.