Multinational transport company Uber, Chinese automotive company BYD and British renewable energy group Octopus Energy have teamed up to offer a package of services aimed at helping UK Uber drivers switch to electric vehicles (EVs). The partnership was unveiled during Uber’s annual climate event, ‘Go Get Zero’, held in London.
As part of the initiative, Octopus Energy will install up to 1,000 free home chargers for UK Uber drivers who purchase a BYD vehicle and sign up for the Intelligent Octopus Go EV tariff. Factoring in savings on both charging costs and the free charger, Octopus Energy estimates that charging an EV could be up to 10 times cheaper for Uber drivers compared to fueling a petrol car.
Additionally, participating drivers will receive an 8% discount on Octopus Electroverse, a one-card, one-app charging service providing access to over 850,000 chargers worldwide. To take advantage of the offer, drivers must engage directly with Octopus Energy, which will oversee charger installation and tariff registration.
Uber plans to inform all UK drivers about the BYD and charger bundle ahead of its 1st November launch.
Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber chief executive said, “There are now over 180,000 EVs on Uber and drivers are going electric five times faster than the average motorist, but there’s much more to do. The new features and partnerships being announced are designed to accelerate electrification and make sustainable choices easier for drivers, consumers, and merchants. Climate is a team sport and we all must double down on this work together.”
Greg Jackson, Founder of Octopus Energy said, “Octopus leads the way on EV charging and it’s exciting to partner with Uber and BYD to bring cheap, convenient, clean transport to thousands of Uber drivers and hundreds of thousands of riders. With Octopus’s smart charging technology, BYD’s outstanding cars and Uber’s leadership on green mobility, the unstoppable transport revolution is well and truly underway.”
In August, BYD signed a multi-market fleet deal with Uber, aiming to bring 100,000 of its EVs onto the ride-hailing platform. The two companies also plan to collaborate on future BYD autonomous-capable vehicles for the Uber platform.