Renault and Nissan partner with Uber to encourage EV adoption

Renault and Nissan have entered into a new partnership with ride-sharing service Uber as part of a shared drive to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Europe.

The allied car makers have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the mobility giant and will "explore a strong partnership to provide partner drivers on the Uber App with affordable electric vehicles in European markets, notably in the UK, France, the Netherlands and Portugal".

Earlier this year, Nissan confirmed that it would supply 2000 Leafs to Uber drivers in London in order to help the mobility service achieve its goal of operating a fully electric fleet in the city by 2025.

The new agreement comes as Uber announces that half of all miles driven by its fleets in Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Lisbon, London and Madrid will be in EVs by 2025. These seven capital cities account for 80% of all Uber's European business, and customers there will be offered the chance to actively select an EV by the end of next year.

As part of the new joint venture, Nissan and Renault will offer their Leaf and Zoe EVs to Uber drivers, likely at a discounted price (the existing London initiative gives Uber drivers around £4500 off the list price of a Leaf) and launch a joint marketing-and-education initiative alongside Uber to educate drivers about the potential benefits of EVs.

The scheme will be extended from London into France by the end of this year, before being rolled out into the other target capitals.

Currently, Uber passengers in London pay a 15p Clean Air Fee when riding with Uber to help fund the electrification of the company's 45,000-vehicle fleet in the city.

Gilles Normand, senior vice-president for EVs and mobility services at Renault, said: "This MoU with Uber is an acknowledgement of our ability to conquest new markets and to support professionals in their energy transition. Today we capitalise on our competitive advantage: an attractive EV-offer that contributes to large scale electric mobility roll-out."

Renault and Nissan aren't the first car makers to partner with Uber. In 2018, Toyota invested £388 million in its autonomous vehicle development programme, and in 2016, Volvo and Uber worked together on a series of driverless car trials in Pittsburgh, US.