Uber Expands EV Offerings, Plans To Go All Electric By 2030

Uber said Thursday that it plans to deliver all its North American rides in electric vehicles by 2030.

The company also announced an expansion of its electric vehicle ride-sharing service, adding 10 cities to its EV operations. There are now in 25 states and cities offering EV rides. New additions include Boston, Chicago and New Jersey.

Since announcing a zero-emissions commitment in 2020, Uber has introduced two EV offerings: Uber Green and Uber Comfort Electric.

The company has quadrupled its electric fleet over the last year to 26,000 vehicles. By 2030, the company hopes to double that number.

The vehicles in Uber's collection include Tesla, Polestar, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E, which form the core of the Comfort Electric service.

CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told CBS News that Uber will drop drivers who fail to make the switch by 2030.

Last year, Uber's partnership with Hertz enabled drivers to rent Teslas and other electric vehicles.

Climate change concerns and inflation-related gas price increases are driving consumer demand for EVs. Transportation accounted for the largest portion of greenhouse gas emissions in the US in 2020, the U.S. Labor Department reported.

Uber drivers make a dollar extra on electric vehicle trips and the company said it is planning more incentives to drive EVs.

But electric cars come with a heavy price tag.

Uber will invest $800 million to help offset the cost for its drivers. Besides fare incentives, the company is offering discounts on electric vehicle charging.