New York requires Uber and Lyft to go fully electric by 2030

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has outlined plans that will require rideshare vehicles operated through platforms including Uber and Lyft to be zero emissions by 2030.

The move will affect 100,000 vehicles in what is one of the world’s largest rideshare markets.

Speaking at his second State of the City address last week, Mayor Adams said: “We are announcing that Uber and Lyft will be required to have a zero-emissions fleet by 2030.

“That’s zero emissions for over 100,000 vehicles on our city streets, and it will be achieved with no new costs for individual drivers.

“We’re pleased that both companies are embracing this shift, and we look forward to working with them to get it done.

“We’re also encouraging New Yorkers who drive to make the switch to electric vehicles as well, adding charging stations in all five boroughs.”

No additional cost

Mayor Adams did not give details of how this will be achieved at no cost to drivers, but a spokesperson from the Mayor’s Office told Cities Today that the onus will be on rideshare companies.

“It is up to the companies to ensure that they have a pool of drivers/EVs to dispatch as the requirement increases – they may choose to offer incentives, for example, to facilitate and expedite that,” the spokesperson said.

“In addition, the city has a novel and critical power to set minimum wages for [rideshare] drivers, so if we see that drivers’ expenses are increasing – even as EVs are becoming increasingly affordable, especially with state and federal incentives available, and even as charging options become increasingly available and in many cases less expensive than gas – we have a mechanism to ensure that their net costs don’t actually go up.

“In essence, over the course of the next several years, high-volume for-hire vehicle services will be responsible for dispatching an increasing share of their trips to electric vehicles until that figure reaches 100 percent in 2027.”

The policy will be implemented through the New York Taxi & Limousine Commission – the body that regulates ridesharing in the city.

Proposed rules are expected to be published in early March, followed by a public hearing in early April which could then be followed by a vote later in the month.

Currently only one percent of rideshare drivers in New York use electric vehicles.

Industry reaction

Uber and Lyft have both welcomed the Mayor’s announcement, and both companies already have programmes and incentives to entice drivers to make the switch to electric.

Uber offers drivers who use an EV an extra US$1 for each trip and partnered with car rental company Hertz to provide electric vehicle rental opportunities.

“We applaud the mayor’s ambition for reducing emissions, an important goal we share,” said Josh Gold, Senior Director of Policy at Uber.

“Uber has been making real progress to become the first zero-emissions mobility platform in North America, and there’s much more to do.”

Lyft has offered similar promotions and committed to expanding EV rental opportunities for drivers.

Paul Augustine, Lyft’s Director of Sustainability, said: “Three years ago, we announced our commitment to reach 100 percent electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030.

“New York’s commitment will accelerate an equitable city-wide transition to electric, and we’re eager to collaborate with the Taxi & Limousine Commission on an ambitious plan for a rideshare clean mile standard.

“With smart, targeted investments in incentives and charging infrastructure, we’ll help tear down the barriers that prevent drivers from making the switch to electric – and build a cleaner and more sustainable New York in the process.”

Image: dan-gold-unsplash