Uber drivers offered significant discounts on Kia electric cars

Londoners used to seeing their Uber drivers in Toyota Priuses will soon see them driving electric Kias instead, as Uber is set to offer more than 35,000 of its London drivers up to £22,000 in grants and rebates to switch from hybrids, diesel and petrol cars to fully electric vehicles.

The app-based taxi service aims to make its entire fleet of 50,000 vehicles in the capital emission-free by the end of 2025. Currently, only a quarter of Uber’s London fleet is fully electric.

To achieve this ambitious target, Uber is launching an initiative this week, offering £5,000 in grants to ensure all its London drivers switch to electric vehicles over the next 18 months. This initiative is funded by a £145 million green allowance fund that Uber has built in Britain.

Uber has also received significant discounts from car manufacturers. For example, drivers interested in the £56,000 Kia EV6 will benefit from a £17,000 discount from the Korean manufacturer, coupled with Uber’s £5,000 subsidy, bringing the car’s price down to £34,000.

Similarly, the popular Kia Niro EV will be available for £20,000, with a £12,000 discount. Andrew Brem, managing director of Uber UK, stressed the urgency of accelerating electrification, especially given recent slowdowns in electric car sales in Britain due to affordability concerns.

Manufacturers support the scheme because they want to meet government-imposed quotas. Automakers must ensure that 22 percent of their vehicles are electric by 2024, and this quota must increase to 28 percent by 2025 or risk fines.

This move by Uber comes as UK sales data shows a decline in the growth of sales of new electric cars to private motorists, mainly due to the high upfront cost of these vehicles. By offering substantial incentives, Uber hopes to overcome these barriers and contribute to a greener future for London’s transport network.