Uber is offering the Londoner who clocks up the most “green” miles in its electric vehicles the prize of 10 years of free travel.
The incentive was announced at a climate conference at the Science Museum on Tuesday as Uber chiefs said they were committed to driving the switch to electric cars worldwide.
Sachin Kansal, a vice president at Uber, said the prize would go to the London passenger who clocked up the greatest savings in CO2 emissions by the end of November by travelling by electric car on the Uber Green app.
About 3.5 million Londoners travel by Uber.
An Uber spokesman said the prize would have a nominal value of £10,000, and would take the form of vouchers that could be spent across Uber’s apps, including for train tickets, UK flights and on the Uber Eats app.
In 2021, Uber made headlines with a similar prize for the passenger who made the billionth trip in the UK booked through the firm’s ride-hailing app.
Last month Uber was granted another licence from Transport for London, allowing it to continue operating in the capital for another two-and-a-half years.
Uber also used the “go-get zero” climate conference to reveal changes to its app that will make it easier for passengers who want to travel by electric car to do so.
It is offering free home charging kits – worth up to £1,000 - to 1,000 Uber drivers in the UK, to encourage the take-up of electric cars.
Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said more than 182,000 EV drivers were working on the Uber app worldwide.
In London, almost a third of rides are by electric vehicle.
Referring to concerns in the wake of the global fall in demand for EVs, Mr Khosrowshahi said: “To some extent you would be right, but that is not the whole story.
“At Uber, EVs are really taking off.”
He added: “For drivers, it’s about never having to pay for gas [petrol or diesel] again, and lower maintenance costs. Drivers also tell us they get tipped more when they drive an EV.”
By the end of the month, Uber users will be able to change the preferences in the app to ensure that an “Uber Green” EV arrives, as long as it is within a few minutes of a standard Uber X.
Some passengers had previously suffered longer waits for an electric vehicle due to fewer being on the road.
Uber Green trips will be the same price as regular Uber X trips.
As part of the launch, Uber will include the Lotus Eletre, a £100,000 luxury SUV, as a “pop up” surprise for Londoners booking Uber Green rides.
These cars will be driven by Uber “ambassador” drivers – with no extra charge for riders to travel in luxury.
With fewer young people holding a driving licence, Uber wants to offer a “real alternative” top car ownership, especially for environmentally-minded people living in cities.
The free home charging kits, which launch on November 1, will be provided in partnership with the energy firm Octopus and the Chinese vehicle manufacturer BYD, which has become the world’s largest producer of EVs.
Drivers are promised “the cheapest charging in the UK” but first have to order a BYD electric car and sign up to the Intelligent Octopus Go charging tariff. They will also be required to have a driveway or allocated parking outside their home.
Greg Jackson, Founder of Octopus Energy, said: “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.”
