Uber, Lyft Asked to Use Mostly Electric Vehicles for Rides in California

Both Uber and Lyft had committed to converting their US fleets entirely to EVs last year.

Ride hailing cab operators Uber and Lyft have been asked to use mostly electric vehicles for their rides in California for the next few years. This US state’s clean air regulator has adopted rules to pass this mandate.

This will mean that Uber and Lyft will have to accommodate EVs in every nine out of ten rides it commissions to its drivers. This is a first of its kind move in any of the state in US.

Both Uber and Lyft had committed to converting their US fleets entirely to EVs last year. However, both the ride hailing cab companies had urged the government to help its drivers to cover up the costs for the transition to electric mobility for the service. Uber and Lyft claims that the aim is a bit unrealistic without subsidies on electric vehicles and EV charging infrastructure in the state.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) unanimously adopted the new rules which mandate that electric cars should account for 90% of ride-hailing vehicle miles traveled by 2030.

But some of its board members shared concerns over its impact. “There is no way for us to make sure that the (companies) actually bear the costs to address the greenhouse gases and air pollution they’re creating and profiting off,” Board member Nathan Fletcher was quoted by news agency Reuters.

Uber and Lyft have tied up with rental companies and charging stations to keep the EV costs for drivers as low as possible. Uber also plans to invest $800 million in the next four years to help its drivers switch to EVs across the world.

Source: Reuters