PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — If you’re an Uber rider, you can now electrify your ride.
The rideshare company is getting into the electric vehicle market. A new program was just launched in Philadelphia.
“This car makes you want to drive. You don’t even think about work. You’re just like — you want to get in the car,” said Kyra Faust of Germantown. “I’m telling you my office on wheels is awesome.”
Kyra Faust’s office on wheels is a Tesla that she has named “Tessica Red.”
“Because she’s red and Tessica is the closest to Tesla. I wanted to make it a little bit special,” she said.
Faust is an Uber driver, a mom and a baker.
“I’m trying to get my bakery business going, and this is the perfect job to supplement that,” she said.
Faust drove her own gas-guzzling SUV for Uber for three years. Three months ago, she started driving Tessica Red through Uber’s rental program with Hertz. So far, 15,000 Uber drivers have rented Teslas, and Uber hopes to have 50,000 EV drivers like Faust by the end of 2023.
And the company says that’s just the beginning.
“It’s our goal to make every Uber ride an electric one by 2030,” said Brooke Anderson, head of product communications for Uber.
Right now, transportation accounts for the biggest portion of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. To provide a ramp for both drivers and riders to help the environment, Uber launched its “Comfort Electric” option for riders in select cities. The program kicked off in Philadelphia just a couple of weeks ago.
“You can push a button and get a ride and a premium EV, usually a Tesla. Maybe another vehicle like a Polestar, but a premium EV,” said Anderson.
Comfort Electric does cost riders more than Uber X but less than most other tiers. For instance, when Action News requested a ride from City Hall to Philadelphia International Airport, Comfort Electric was $42.99, Uber X was $30.97 and Uber XL was $45.06.
Faust says riders love the EV option and she says she is seeing that love in the way of tips.
Faust pays a weekly rental fee of about $334 for the Tesla plus about $50 a week in charging fees. But she is saving $300 a week on gas. She also makes additional money in fares, gets more rides, and receives an extra $1 per trip in what Uber calls an electric incentive.
“I’m making triple the amount of money that I was making,” said Faust.
So far in Philadelphia alone, Uber says 663,000 fully electric miles have been driven and 25,000 gallons of gasoline avoided.
Faust says she now hopes to one day buy an EV for herself.
“It’s worth it. It’s a beautiful car. It’s an environment. No gas. So that is my end goal.”
Lyft has also made a commitment to use 100% electric vehicles across the Lyft platform by 2030. Lyft also says it’s working to expand the availability of EVs for its drivers.
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