Londoners could be given £5,000 grants for electric cars – here’s how
Around a quarter of all Uber journeys in London are in electric cars.
Uber is offering £5,000 to Uber drivers in London who switch to using electric vehicles.
The company announced the measure to help it meet its previous commitment that all Uber vehicles in the capital will be fully electric by the end of 2025.
Drivers can spend their grant cash as a lump sum on an EV purchase, or on weekly payments for rental or rent-to-buy agreements.
Uber has also secured discounts of £12,000 to £17,000 on selected EVs for its drivers.
Around a quarter of miles for Uber journeys in London are in electric cars – there are more than 100,000 Uber vehicles in the UK, with around half in London.
Uber’s UK general manager, Andrew Brem, said: ‘Now is the time to speed up on electrification, not slow down.
‘We cannot reach our collective zero-emission goals without continued action from policymakers and investment across the industry.
‘Uber drivers can be the catalyst for accelerating electrification across the transport sector but collaboration will be crucial to combat air pollution and work towards a more sustainable future.’
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: ‘I am determined to achieve my mission to make London a net-zero city by 2030, and the electrification of our buses and cars is absolutely key to this.
‘I welcome this initiative, which will give drivers who need it a helping hand to switch their petrol or diesel vehicle for an electric one.
‘Schemes like this are helping us to build a fairer, greener London for everyone.’
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Khan’s most significant climate change measure, the Ultra-low Emission Zone (ULEZ), has been under attack since Labour lost last year’s Uxbridge by-election, with the levy seen as a key factor.
The £12.50 charge for the most polluting vehicles was widened in late 2021 and Ulez now represents the largest clean air zone in the world.
The mayor has pledged not to extend its scope and has ruled out both a pay-per-mile scheme and any tightening of the rules.
He has promised to keep the capital’s 2030 net zero target and decarbonise more buses.
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