Uber to stop using diesel cars by 2022

Ride-hailing service provider Uber has announced plans to have all of its drivers in London operate hybrid or fully electric cars by the end of 2019 as part of a ‘clean air’ strategy unveiled today (8 September).

The plan will also see diesel cars banned from registering to use the service in London by 2019 and the rest of the UK by 2022.

Uber has also unveiled plans to establish a ‘clean air fund’ which will fund a diesel scrappage scheme aimed at removing 1,000 pre-Euro 4 diesel cars from London’s roads.

Uber has unveiled a Clean Air Plan, which includes proposals to have all cars using the service in London to be hybrid or fully electric

The scrappage scheme will see participating users given up to £1,500 in credit to use on its service, as part of its effort to ‘encourage Londoners to get into a shared car to connect with public transport.’

In a statement released today (8 September) the company said: “The air quality in our cities is a growing problem — and one that affects us all. At Uber we’re determined to play our part in tackling air pollution across the UK.

“That’s why we’re today announcing a Clean Air Plan with a series of measures for drivers, riders and cities.”

According to Uber more than half of the miles travelled on uberX journeys in London are already in hybrid or fully electric cars. However the company is seeking to go beyond this by an aim to see only fully electric vehicles registered to use the service in London by 2025.

Clean Air Fund

The company has also announced plans to establish a Clean Air Fund to allow licensed drivers who use the app to access up to £5,000 towards the cost of upgrading their car to a hybrid or fully electric vehicle.

Uber will start the fund next month with a £2m investment and 35p will be added to every ride taken through the app in London — every penny of which will be donated to the dedicated and ring-fenced fund.

In the coming weeks a network of Uber-branded rapid chargers will also be installed in central London which will initially be dedicated for use by drivers of electric vehicles who use the Uber app.