By 2025, Hertz, a car rental company, will offer up to 25,000 electric vehicles (EVs) for rent to Uber drivers in European capital cities, the two companies announced on Tuesday.
Starting this month in London, Hertz will begin rolling out the rental agreement, which will include vehicles from Tesla and Polestar. By 2025, Uber drivers will be able to borrow more than 10,000 EVs from Hertz.
The initiative will extend to European capitals this year
Throughout 2023, they will also extend the initiative to other European capitals, such as Paris and Amsterdam.
Uber stated that the Tesla Model 3 and the Polestar 2 would be among the cars available and that they will know the cost once rentals began in London.
Drivers in London will benefit from not having to pay congestion or emission-zone fees, the business stated, and pricing will be competitive with other rentals now available through Uber partners in the UK.
London is the top European city for electric vehicles use
According to the ride-hailing company, London is presently its top European city for EV use, with more than 7,000 electric vehicles accounting for 15% of all Uber miles driven in the British capital.
The EV rentals expand on a collaboration in which Hertz agreed to lend 50,000 Teslas to Uber drivers in the US.
It is a component of both Uber’s aim to create a zero-emission platform in Europe and North America by 2030 and Hertz’s strategy to develop one of the largest EV rental fleets in the world.
How things are in other European capitals
Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular in European capital cities as more and more people look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and help mitigate climate change. Various government incentives and policies have promoted the use of EVs in these cities, such as tax breaks and the installation of charging infrastructure.
In Norway, for example, the capital city of Oslo has the highest percentage of electric cars in the world, with almost 60% of all new cars sold in the city being EVs. This is due in large part to generous government incentives, including tax exemptions and access to bus lanes for EV owners. Additionally, more than 2,000 charging points are available in the city, making it easy for EV owners to charge their vehicles.
Electric vehicles in European capital cities are on the rise
Similarly, in the Netherlands, the capital city of Amsterdam has invested in charging infrastructure and has implemented policies to encourage EV adoption, such as allowing EV owners to park for free in the city center.
In Germany, Berlin has also been making efforts to promote the use of EVs. The city has set a goal of having at least 50,000 electric cars on the road by 2020 and has been installing charging points throughout the city. Additionally, the city has implemented a car-sharing program that uses only electric cars to encourage the use of EVs.
In general, the use of EVs in European capital cities is on the rise, driven by government incentives and policies, as well as the increasing awareness of the need to reduce carbon emissions.
Electric vehicles in the U.S. passed more than 418 million km
According to the firms, more than 50,000 Uber drivers in the United States have taken part in the program to date and have taken more than 24 million completely electric trips totaling more than 260 million miles (418 million km).
According to the U.S. agreement, weekly Tesla rentals for Uber drivers are believed to start at $334 and include insurance and maintenance. The Model 3 car makes up the majority of these rentals.