Uber ‘clean air levy’ on passengers raises £30m

A new “clean air levy” paid on journeys in London booked through ride-hailing app Uber has already raised £30 million.

The tech giant introduced the 15p-a-mile surcharge in January to raise funds to help Uber drivers switch to electric vehicles.

The first eligible drivers are expected to benefit from the fund before the end of this month. An Uber driver using the app for an average of 40 hours per week could expect about £3,000 of support towards an electric vehicle in two years’ time and £4,500 in three years.

Since the launch of the scheme, the average London driver has raised £600 through the fee at an average of around 45p a trip. Uber hopes to raise £200 million through the levy by 2025.

Speaking on official Clean Air Day, Uber’s head of Northern and Eastern Europe Jamie Heywood said: “The Mayor of London has shown the leadership that our city needs on air pollution and congestion. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made so far on supporting this vision through our Clean Air Plan, which is a long-term investment in the future of London to help the city breathe.

“In time, we want to help everyone replace their car with their phone by offering a range of mobility options, including cars, bikes and public transport, all in Uber’s app.”

The Silicon Valley company also revealed today that its drivers who use electric cars have already clocked up 2.5 million miles in London with 15,000 trips every week. The number of electric vehicles available on the app has risen fivefold this year.

Uber aims to convert 20,000 drivers to electric vehicles by the end of 2021. It wants every car on the app in London to be fully electric by 2025.

Uber is supporting the Evening Standard’s Clean Air project as part of the Future London initiative.