London Uber drivers offered £5,000 EV grant Written by Louise Frohlich Reviewed by Tamara Birch Updated on 23 May 2024 Uber to offer £5,000 grant to London drivers who switch to an EVDiscounts of £12,000 to £17,000 secured on selected Kia EVsEligible drivers can apply for funding now Around half of Uber’s 100,000 UK vehicles are in LondonUber is offering £5,000 grants to encourage its drivers to switch to electric vehicles (EV), in an attempt to make its London fleet fully electric by the end of 2025. The move is an extension of its 2019 Clean Air plan where it created a £145m fund to help encourage a transition towards electric vehicles (EVs).If eligible, London Uber drivers will be able to use the grant on several ways to purchase an EV. These can be through rentals, full purchases or rent-to-buy deals. To be eligible, London drivers must have: Completed fewer than 10 EV trips in the six months up to 21 May 2024Added an EV to their Uber account by 30th November 2024Less than £4,900 in EV Assistance Not previously used your EV Assistance to purchase an EV and subsequently switched back to a non-EVLondon Uber drivers can also benefit from further discounts of up to £17,000 on specific EV models, such as Kia, bringing the potential EV savings to £22,000. As part of the grant scheme, Uber has partnered with BP Pulse to offer three months worth of free EV charging credits, worth £750. Uber has also supported Redbridge Council in the installation of 68 electric vehicle charging stations, which is part of the company’s pledge to provide London with 700 more public charging points.Andrew Brem, UK general manager, Uber, said: “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.”Around half of Uber’s 100,000 UK vehicles are in London, and with 25% of all Uber miles in London now electric, the city is currently Uber’s top city globally for EV usage. According to data by Uber, a single driver switching to EV saves four times the emissions of an average driver. London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, said of the news: “I welcome this initiative, which will give Uber drivers who need 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.” The benefit of EVs extends from Uber driver to passenger, with drivers able to earn 10% more per trip on Uber Green compared to UberX. They are also exempt from the £15 congestion charge, which, according to Transport for London, reached £307 million revenue in 2021/22. Written by: Louise Frohlich Editorial Assistant Louise joined The Eco Experts as Editorial Assistant in April 2024. She is a talented artist who has a keen interest in solutions that lead to a more environmentally-friendly future. Reviewed by: Tamara Birch Senior Writer Tamara has written about environmental topics for more than four years. This includes advising small business owners on cost-effective ways, like solar panels and energy-efficient products to help them become more sustainable.