Over 700 fast electric vehicle (EV) chargers are to be installed on streets in Newham, Brent and Redbridge as part of a £5 million investment from Uber.
The funding was announced in 2020, with the new on-street EV chargers to boost London’s overall charging network by over 7%.
Over 5,000 EVs are currently on the Uber app in London, with the company on track to more than double this by the end of the year and become an all-electric platform in the capital by 2025. Indeed, more than 90% of new vehicles joining the Uber app are fully electric, the company said.
The rollout in Newham, Brent and Redbridge is the first time that boroughs have worked with a ride-hailing company to directly install chargers on London’s streets. The chargers are to be Uber branded and available for everyone to use.
Jamie Heywood, Uber general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe said: “By targeting investment where it is most needed, we are confident that thousands more drivers will make the switch to electric, allowing them to benefit from lower running costs and higher earnings on Uber.
“Ensuring that everyone can access EV charging will spark a mass transition to electric vehicles and help drive London towards a greener future.”
Later this year, Uber plans to expand its EV-only option ‘Uber Green’ from Zone One to the whole of London, with this meaning that riders will be able to request an electric vehicle from anywhere in the city for the same price as a normal UberX.
The company is also participating in the Optimise Prime trial, looking at how to mitigate the impact of commercial electrification on energy networks, with trials involving the testing of a range of different services including flexibility and profiled connections.
It also has a strategic partnership with bp, which includes the provision of exclusive chargepoints for Uber drivers at bp pulse’s rapid charging hubs.
