ALEXANDRIA, Va.—New York City is requiring Uber and Lyft to electrify their entire fleets in the city by 2030, reports The Verge. The rule will impact an estimated 100,000 vehicles.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams made the announcement in his State of the City speech last week. He said the city will invest in additional charging infrastructure to power the vehicles.
Both Uber and Lyft responded positively to the new initiative, as both companies have made efforts to incentivize their drivers to switch to electric vehicles, including higher fares for EV drivers and Uber’s partnership with Hertz on EVs. Both companies have said they aim to make their rideshare fleet 100% electric by 2030.
“We are excited to partner with New York City on our journey,” Paul Augustine, Lyft’s director of sustainability, said in a statement. “New York’s commitment will accelerate an equitable city-wide transition to electric, and we’re eager to collaborate with the TLC on an ambitious plan for a rideshare clean mile standard.”
“We applaud the Mayor’s ambition for reducing emissions, an important goal we share,” Josh Gold, senior director of policy at Uber, said in a statement. “Uber has been making real progress to become the first zero-emissions mobility platform in North America, and there’s much more to do.”
The Verge notes that it may be tough to get the millions of people who drive for Uber and Lyft to switch to EVs, as drivers are gig-workers and use their personal vehicles to drive for the rideshare companies. A recent Deloitte survey found that cost was the leading deterrent in purchasing an EV.
“That steep upfront cost may make it a challenge for many drivers, who typically operate with incredibly tight margins, to make the switch,” writes The Verge.
In 2021, California adopted a similar tule requiring rideshare companies to electrify their fleets by 2030. In August, the California Air Resources Board passed a plan that requires all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the state to be electric vehicles or plug-in electric hybrids by 2035. Currently, 16% of all new cars sold in California are zero-emission vehicles.
NACS, along with other stakeholders, filed a petition in a federal court in Washington, D.C., challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s waiver that would allow California to implement a zero-emission vehicle mandate.
For convenience retailers looking to bring EV charging to their locations, NACS launched the EV Infrastructure Matchmaking Tool, which connects retailers with EV charging companies for all aspects and stages of offering electric vehicle supply equipment.
NACS also offers the EV Charging Calculator, which allows retailers to assess the cost and profitability of offering EV chargers at their sites. The calculator focuses on what retailer utility costs associated with EV recharging are and what the corresponding revenue must be to recover those costs after allowing for potential ancillary in-store visits and purchase profitability.