Uber will pay drivers extra to switch to electric vehicles

Ride hailing service Uber has decided to woo its drivers by offering them to pay more to switch to electric cars.

Uber recently announced that it’s launching the ‘EV Champions Initiative’, which is a yearlong pilot program for driver-partners to deliver at least 5 million electric vehicles (EV) rides over the next year. Those Uber drivers who use EVs might also get a raise under this project.

The program was launched to get drivers rid of the fossil fuel-burning vehicles and favoring the electric-powered ones, and also offering them more money for the switch. The program has already initiated in seven cities including Montreal, Seattle, Austin, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento.

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Cash incentives for drivers who switch to EVs will vary from city to city. For instance, drivers in San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and San Diego will receive $1 extra per ride after making a switch to an electric vehicle. The rider too will receive an in-app notification when they match with an EV driver.

Uber is also adding new features to its app for drivers who exclusively use these types of vehicles, along with partnering with nonprofits and UC-Davis researchers to look for new ways Uber and local governments can encourage EV adoption, wrote The Verge.

Uber’s head of sustainability Adam Gromis told the Los Angeles Times that just like the cities move toward sustainable transportation, Uber too needs to step up its environmental friendliness. “Unless we can be delivering a more efficient form of mobility, we won’t be providing a good solution that cities need. That’s why we’ve gone into bikes. That’s why we’re working with transit. That’s why we’re focused on electrification.”

The company said that since consumers lack EV awareness, they are working to make every EV raise a remarkable experience via their platform. “This is a small step towards driving awareness and encouraging conversations between riders and drivers about EVs,” wrote Uber.

Moreover, as per Fortune, this is not the first time that Uber has taken a step forward for maintaining environmental friendliness. Back in April, the firm also introduced a new electric bike sharing service.