Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming an attractive business proposition for high-mileage vehicle operators like Uber in some EU capitals, a new study suggests.
The new study, from Transport and Environment (T&E), does not include London in its analysis, but highlights the cost advantages of EVs in cities such as Paris, Berlin, Madrid and Lisbon.
Medium-sized battery EVs, such as the Nissan Leaf, are on average 14% cheaper to run than equivalent diesels today, if slow charging overnight near home and/or fast charging at preferential rates are available, it says.
The release of the Metrocab, a battery-powered taxi capable of zero emissions, is one of the efforts to clean up the city’s transport (Image: Metrocab)
The savings can be even higher (24%) in the case of Parisian drivers.
In monetary terms, these savings amount to €3,000 (£2,700) every year, because of cheaper electricity, lower EV retail prices and higher purchase incentives in France.
T&E says that the taxi and ride-hailing markets are best positioned to go fully electric first.
The economics of EVs – more expensive to buy but a lot cheaper to run – match perfectly with high-mileage, low-margin businesses like ride-hailing and taxis, the research suggests.
Uber-type drivers can travel up to five times the mileage of an average motorist.
Yoann Le Petit, new mobility expert with T&E, said: “This is a win-win-win situation for drivers, citizens and the planet.
“The sooner Uber and taxis go 100% electric, the sooner citizens will enjoy cleaner air.”
In London, the Mayor’s EV infrastructure taskforce estimates that 70% of the demand for slow and normal chargers in residential areas will come from Uber drivers alone.
Read more: Fleet News
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