Uber join hands with Tesla to promote EV adoption

EV adoption boost: Uber has partnered with Tesla in a bid to promote the adoption of electric vehicles among its drivers in the United States, aligning with its goal to achieve emission-free operations in U.S. and Canadian cities by 2030, according to information shared with Reuters on Tuesday.

As part of this collaboration, Uber is offering exclusive purchase incentives of up to $2,000 for Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y to its drivers, in addition to existing federal tax credits. Andrew Macdonald, senior vice president of mobility and business operations at Uber, stated, "We know from listening to Uber drivers that the cost of ownership and access to convenient charging are the top two barriers preventing them from going electric, and we are partnering with Tesla to tackle both of these issues."

Under the initiative, drivers can utilize a referral code to acquire vehicles directly from Tesla's factory or from available inventory, with a deadline for purchase and receipt set until March 31. To qualify for the incentives, drivers need to complete 100 trips by May 15.

Uber has also introduced test drive events at Tesla stores, and in a pilot program starting in New York City, the ride-hailing platform is sharing data with Tesla to identify areas where drivers require charging infrastructure the most, focusing on locations where drivers conduct the majority of their trips.

(With Reuters inputs)