- Uber partners with BYD to provide 100,000 electric vehicles for ride-hailing service
- Partnership could bring BYD into the US while avoiding retail sales
- Uber is aiming for a zero-emissions platform by 2040 and going all-electric by 2030 in some markets
Uber on Wednesday announced a partnership with BYD to bring 100,000 electric cars from Chinese automaker to its ride-hailing platform—laying the groundwork for BYD electric vehicles to come to the U.S.
The deal—the largest ever between Uber and an automaker—will see the ride-hailing giant deploy BYD vehicles “in key global markets,” starting in Europe and Latin America, according to a company press release, and then expanding to the Middle East, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Although the US was not mentioned, the Uber partnership providing BYD with a path into the United States Outside of retail sales, this is unlikely to continue to be an option for the automaker given the current high tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles, which are unlikely to change regardless of which party wins the election. 2024 presidential election.
BYD Seal
At Uber, BYD now has a large pool of potential customers for its EV fleet, something the automaker has failed to develop. previous attempts to enter the United States Marketed primarily as a taxi, the BYD e6 has even been certified for sale in the United States, but customers have been unimpressed. BYD, regularly competes with Tesla for most EV sales, currently selling EVs like a seal in Mexico and is also considering entering the Canadian market, Reuters report.
Uber claims its drivers are switching to electric vehicles five times faster than private car owners, but driver surveys show that price and lack of financing options remain major barriers for those who haven’t made the switch. To address that, Uber and BYD will work to provide electric vehicles to ride-hailing drivers at a lower cost, the release said.
The partnership could include financing and leasing incentives for drivers, as well as discounts on charging, maintenance and insurance, “based on what works best for drivers in a given market,” the release said.
BYD Dolphin EV – European Specifications
The two companies will also collaborate in the future on “self-driving vehicles” developed by BYD for use by Uber. The ride-hailing company has long been looking at its own custom-designed electric vehicles. for its ride-hailing and delivery serviceswas also working with startup Arrival on a sleek design that was later scrapped by the startup. Of the established automakers, Hyundai seems like the most logical partner for Uber EV, given the two companies’ existing partnership to develop electric flying taxis.
Efforts to add more electric vehicles will help Uber move toward its goal of a “zero-emissions platform” by 2040, with the goal of All-electric by 2030 In some markets, that simply means complying with a 2021 electric vehicle mandate for ride-hailing services that requires companies like Uber to go all-electric by the end of the decade.
