Uber has announced the expansion of its emission-free electric vehicle (EV) ride presence to 14 new markets across the United States and Canada. The move is part of the company's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its rides.
The new markets include Austin, Calgary, Houston, Miami, Montreal, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Sacramento Seattle Tampa Bay and Washington D.C. Uber's environmental sustainability goals are aimed at reducing carbon emissions by 800 million metric tons by 2030.
In a statement released on Tuesday by Adam Gromis - Global Director of Sustainability & Environmental Impact at Uber - he said that "Expanding our electric vehicle offerings across North America is an important step in fulfilling our commitment to becoming a zero-emission platform."
As part of this initiative in these cities where it operates Green Rides program or other similar efforts have been launched for drivers who operate hybrid or electric vehicles. Through various partnerships with car rental companies such as Hertz and Avis Budget Group Inc., drivers can also rent eco-friendly cars for use on the platform.
Uber has been working towards increasing its fleet of electric vehicles globally since September 2020 when it set a target of making all trips booked through its app emission-free by 2040. The company aims to have over 100% EVs available on their network in Canada and the U.S by year-end.
With this latest expansion into more cities with cleaner transportation options like EVs for riders worldwide coupled with driver incentives that promote sustainable practices among those who work behind-the-wheel will help create a more sustainable future for everyone involved in urban mobility services.