Uber is accelerating its transition to electric. In this perspective, the American ride-hailing giant has just joined forces with Free2move, the Stellantis subsidiary specializing in mobility services. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
This partnership aims to encourage platform drivers to drive electric cars. Accustomed to offering rental solutions to its professional customers, Free2move plans to offer Uber drivers various rental options, such as leasing (leasing), long-term rental (LLD) or monthly subscription, to enable them to access electric vehicles from Stellantis. Also with this in mind, take-back offers for diesel vehicles will also be offered.
Currently, the two companies ensure that cars from the Stellantis group represent a quarter of the vehicles available on Uber in France. In France, the Californian platform has 5 million users and nearly 30,000 drivers.
Uber wants to phase out heat engines by 2030
If the announcement of this alliance is an opportunity for Uber to do ecological marketing, bordering on greenwashing, the acceleration of the American giant towards electric is above all made compulsory by the European authorities. Indeed, the 27 Member States of the European Union (EU) approved at the end of June the Commission’s plan to reduce CO2 emissions to zero from 2035 for new cars. Therefore, this means the end of heat engines in the European bloc by this horizon.
Faced with this deadline which is approaching, Uber therefore has no other choice than to shift up a gear to electrify its fleet. “This partnership aims to accelerate and facilitate the greening of fleets to achieve the European objectives of the transition to all-electric”, confirmed Brigitte Courtehoux, CEO of Free2move, on the occasion of the announcement of the partnership with the Californian firm. The latter specifies that it targets 100% of vehicles Green (hybrid or electric) on its platform in 2025.
Last week, Dara Khosrowshahi, the boss of Uber, promised the end of thermal engines in 2030. “We aim to be fully electric in the United States, Canada and Europe,” he said. from CBS News. To succeed in this shift, the American company plans to mobilize 800 million dollars. This sum aims to help its drivers to take the plunge to abandon diesel in favor of electricity. If they refuse to switch to electric, drivers will no longer be allowed to use the platform. The countdown is on.