Uber has made a deal with BYD, a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker, to bring 100,000 electric cars to its global fleet.
This agreement aims to make Uber’s rides greener and will start in Europe and Latin America before expanding to other regions like the Middle East, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Uber and BYD will provide incentives for drivers to switch to EVs, offering discounts on maintenance, charging, financing, and leasing. They hope to lower the overall cost of owning an electric car and increase the number of EVs on Uber’s platform.
This deal comes at a time when EV sales have slowed, and Chinese car makers face higher import taxes in the US and the European Union. To address these challenges, BYD is expanding its production outside China. Recently, they announced new factories in Turkey, Thailand, Hungary, and plans for a plant in Mexico.
Earlier this year, Uber also partnered with Tesla to encourage EV use among drivers in the US and is working with Kia on a new EV design. BYD, supported by US investor Warren Buffett, is the world’s second-largest EV company, following Tesla.
I am sooo excited.