Uber and China’s EV manufacturer BYD announced on Wednesday a multi-year strategic partnership designed to bring 100,000 new BYD electric vehicles onto the Uber platform across key global markets.
The partnership will take place first in Europe and Latin America, then expand to markets across the Middle East, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The partnership is expected to offer drivers access to best-in-class pricing and financing for BYD vehicles on the Uber platform, the companies said in a statement.
“Uber and BYD share a commitment to innovate towards a cleaner, greener world, and I am excited to work together towards that future,” said Chuanfu Wang, Chairman and President of BYD.
“As the largest global agreement of its kind, we’re thrilled about the benefits this partnership will deliver for drivers, riders, and cities,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber.
“When an Uber driver makes the switch to an EV, they can deliver up to four times the emissions benefits compared to a regular motorist, simply because they are on the road more. Many riders also tell us their first experience with an EV is on an Uber trip, and we’re excited to help demonstrate the benefits of EVs to more people around the world,” added Khosrowshahi.
Uber said their drivers are going electric five times faster than private car owners; however, driver surveys show the price of EVs and availability of financing remain the key barriers to switching. BYD vehicles offers both affordability and have lower costs of maintenance and repair, and are well suited to rideshare due to the wide range of models, superior battery performance, and excellent build quality, Uber said in the statement.
