Energy firm Octopus Energy, ride-sharing firm Uber and vehicle manufacturer BYD have collaborated on an electric vehicle (EV) charging bundle for Uber drivers in the UK.
The deal, which was announced at Uber’s annual climate event, will see Octopus Energy install up to 1,000 free home chargers for UK Uber drivers who order any BYD car and sign up to its EV specialist tariff – Intelligent Octopus Go.
According to Octopus, using the tariff costs as little as 2p per mile for an average EV driver, which is up to six times cheaper than running a petrol vehicle, it claims.
It predicts alongside the free charger, it will be 10 times cheaper for Uber drivers to charge an EV than fuel a petrol vehicle.
Participating Uber drivers will also benefit from an 8% discount on its Octopus Electroverse card, which provides access to more than 850,000 chargers around the world.
Greg Jackson, Founder of Octopus Energy, said:
“Octopus leads the way on EV charging and it’s exciting to partner with Uber and BYD to bring cheap, convenient, clean transport to thousands of Uber drivers and hundreds of thousands of riders. With Octopus’s smart charging technology, BYD’s outstanding cars and Uber’s leadership on green mobility, the unstoppable transport revolution is well and truly underway.”
Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO said:
“There are now over 180,000 EVs on Uber and drivers are going electric five times faster than the average motorist, but there’s much more to do. The new features and partnerships being announced today are designed to accelerate electrification and make sustainable choices easier for drivers, consumers, and merchants. Climate is a team sport and we all must double down on this work together.”
Image courtesy of Octopus Energy
