Uber Will Charge An Additional ‘Clean Air Fee’ To Help Drivers Pay For Electric Cars

Don’t worry, this change hasn’t come to the States…yet. In London, however, Uber wants more of its drivers to use electric cars. And now London residents will be paying to help make that happen, although a relatively small price. The ride-hailing company is adding a $0.19 “clean air fee,” with the money going toward helping Uber drivers pay for new electric cars.

Uber wants all cars running on its London network to be electric by 2025, and expects 20,000 drivers to make the switch by 2021. Uber has said the most London passengers would pay is an extra $0.58, based on average trip distances. According to the company, all London Uber drivers are eligible to receive cash payments toward the purchase of an electric car. The specific amount each driver receives will be based on the number of miles they have driven for Uber. Once a driver buys an electric car, money from the clean air fee will go toward operating costs.

In North America, Uber is running a yearlong pilot program to encourage drivers to use electric cars. It’s called the EV Champions Initiative and is running in seven cities: Austin, Los Angeles, Montreal, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle. The program primarily focuses on driver education and lobbying and does not include a surcharge for passengers equivalent to the one instituted in London.