According to Tech Crunch, Uber is taking to Oregon to set benchmarks for electrifying its fleet. There are currently 100 active Portland drivers with electric vehicles (EVs) operating in the city, and plenty of charging.
“The city of Portland has also adopted some of the nation’s most aggressive measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Uber released in a prepared statement.
According to CityLab, Portland was named the 2016 most EV-friendly out of 36 U.S. cities by the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, based in large part on its vast network of charging stations.
Uber is teaming up with the non-profit Forth (formerly Drive Oregon) to facilitate the process and attract more of its 6,000 Portland drivers. The company’s goal is to make 10 percent of its statewide fleet electric by 2019 through a combination of incentives and educational initiatives
Uber will work with Portland’s Black Parent Initiative in partnership with Forth’s efforts to serve underserved communities, Cynergy E-Bikes to connect UberEATS couriers with electric bikes and Arcimoto, an Oregon-based EV company.
Uber’s auto-lease subsidiary Xchange Leasing plans to offer in-house deals to Portland drivers that make the switch to EVs.
