(Sponsored Content) – Throughout 2021, Uber has been committed to achieving the pledge for zero-emissions it made the year previous.

Uber's Head of Sustainability Policy Adam Gromis recently reviewed how Uber has worked in multiple ways throughout 2021 to meet its zero-emission goals and followed up on a September 2020 article by Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi stating the company would commit to becoming fully zero-emissions by 2040.

Khosrowshahi aims to reach the goal as Uber's "responsibility as the largest mobility platform in the world (is) to more aggressively tackle the challenge of climate change." He further explained that the company would commit $800 million in resources to help hundreds of thousands of drivers transition to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2025. 

"While we’ve taken some important steps in recent years, from expanding micromobility options to offering public transit in the Uber app, we know we’ve got a long way to go," Khosrowshahi stated in his article. "That’s why we’re working with the World Resources Institute (WRI), Transport & Environment (T&E), and others to become a stronger partner in the fight against climate change by leveraging our innovation, technology, and talent to expedite the global transition to clean energy," 

Khosrowshahi laid out a four-key action plan to reach this goal which includes the launch and expansion of Uber Green in more than 15 U.S. and Canadian cities; the $800 million commitment of resources to transition drivers to EVs in the U.S., Canada and Europe; investing in Uber's multimodal network and being transparent and accountable as a company by releasing its Climate Assessment and Performance Report.

Gromis' review follows up on some of Khosrowshahi's promises by detailing steps taken from the company throughout 2021 in working toward the 2040 zero-emissions goal. Gromis states that Uber expanded support for drivers in the transition to EVs through educational programs, driver webinars and events, awareness campaigns. Uber also created an EV cost calculator, developed incentives for drivers and developed partnerships with Hertz and Tesla UK.

According to Gromis, Uber provided data to support the WRI’s study which assesses barriers preventing drivers from having access to EVs and "opportunities for governments, companies, utilities, charging operators and others to expand access to affordable, convenient charging, especially for low-income communities." 

Gromis studied Uber's second annual Climate Assessment and Performance Report that followed up on the 2020 report that Khosrowshahi stated was to allow Uber to be transparent and accountable for its role in climate-related matters. Gromis writes that the study found "there were 4.9 million ZEV trips completed via Uber in the first half of 2021 alone, across Europe, Canada, and the US," and drivers in Europe "are switching to electric vehicles (EVs) nearly 5 times faster than in the mass market." 

According to the WRI, a "shift from traditional vehicles with an internal combustion engine to electric vehicles will be essential to reduce emissions in the transportation sector" as most vehicles driven for ride-hailing platforms are often high-mileage, and therefore emit more green-house gases.  

One issue for drivers in transitioning to EVs, the WRI research claims, is that "both the up-front cost and total cost of ownership are generally higher for EVs than for traditional vehicles," which creates a barrier.

"Electric ride-hailing can promote accelerated EV adoption down the road, as ride-hailing vehicles’ distinct charging patterns can support the development of charging infrastructure. It could also increase the adoption of EVs in low-income communities. When combined with other climate and transportation actions, electrifying ride-hailing platforms can prove a powerful asset in achieving equitable, low-emissions mobility," WRI concluded