By 2030, Uber and Lyft will be zero emission in New York City
New York City Hall has told Uber and Lyft that they must transition their fleets to EVs by 2030.
The only remarkable thing about the decision is why it took so long: many taxis are on the road 24/7, as opposed to the 3% use rate of most privately owned vehicles, which means it is essential that they are not contaminating the air; all the more so bearing in mind that the two companies combined have a total fleet of 100,000 vehicles in the city.
Importantly, Lyft and Uber, which typically appeal against any kind of legal requirement, say they want to work with the city on reducing emissions, which for them will simply mean requiring their drivers or suppliers of fleets to go electric, although they may provide some financial assistance to help them adapt their vehicles. But for the city, removing 100,000 diesel or petrol vehicles from its roads will make a major contribution to reducing air pollution levels. If all public transport: cabs and buses, as well as delivery vehicles, were EVs, the air in our cities would improve significantly.
Given that a wide variety of EVs are now available, using them for urban passenger transportation is not a problem (as we have already seen for some time in the case of companies that have begun this transition on their own initiative). Decarbonization is…
