Ford on Thursday announced the start of a pilot program that will allow Uber drivers in select markets to rent electric vehicles on a weekly basis for use on the ride-hailing network.
With a pilot program called Ford Drive, the automaker says it will offer Mustang Mach-E models in San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles, with the Los Angeles show starting Thursday.
Drivers can apply for a flexible rental period of one to four months and the vehicle will be delivered within two weeks of registration. The Ford Drive app used for payments and auto and auto service comes from a dedicated Ford Drive team. Drivers will need to purchase their own insurance, but that includes regular maintenance.
Ford Drive – Uber Pilot Program with Mustang Mach-E
How much do Ford EVs cost by week?
Prices will vary by city, Ford confirmed to Green Car Reports, but it did provide an idea of where they would be. Those who sign up now will see deals at $199 weekly for 500 miles included, or $249 with 1,000 miles included and 20 cents a mile for excess fees.
It’s a better deal than what Hertz was offered on the Model 3 for Uber drivers—about $300 a week, even though insurance is included.
Uber’s Zero Emissions offer is currently one of the company’s ways to encourage drivers to switch to electric vehicles; it now adds an extra $1 to the driver for each EV Uber Rides ride, up to $4,000 per calendar year.
Uber says in California, 10% of its trip mileage has been completed by all-electric vehicles, by the end of 2022. It is targeting run entirely on electricity by 2030.
The program builds on a program that launched in 2022 between Ford Next and Uber in San Diego, which includes 150 Mustang Mach-E vehicles. Ford Next is a unit focused on future technologies, including self-driving car technology.
Ford Drive – Uber Pilot Program with Mustang Mach-E
Mach-E Ready For Uber With BlueCruise Powered Driving
On that note, Ford Next has confirmed to Green Car Reports that all Mustang Mach-E vehicles distributed through the program will be BlueCruise-capable. Customers can choose to enable the feature if they wish.
Uber claims that converting high-powered ride-hailing drivers to electricity provides four times more emissions reduction benefits than the average car owner, so the same potential ability of put super gas users in electric cars, there will be more real-world environmental benefits, sooner. It will also help reduce the environmental impact of the so-called “dead mile”—the distance a driver needs to travel to start and finish a trip.
According to a report earlier this year Uber continues to partner with unnamed automakers on electric vehicles customized for ride-hailing and delivery services, though eye-catching design EV ride-hailing from Arrival seems to have been removed.
