Uber could deploy driverless Chinese vehicles onto Britain’s roads as part of a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The transport provider has announced ‘strategic partnership’ with Chinese car maker BYD aimed at bringing 100,000 new electric vehicles across the globe.

Both companies added they will also work together to deploy BYD’s self-driving vehicles onto the Uber platform, claiming the ride-hailing app is ‘well-positioned to bring autonomous vehicle technology to a global audience at scale’.

The multiyear partnership, which the companies described as the largest of its kind, will start in Europe and Latin America before expanding to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and countries across the Middle East, says MailOnline.

Uber has already made a pledge that all of its vehicles in London will be electric by the end of next year, while it has vowed to achieve net zero emissions across the whole of the UK by 2030. 

High sticker prices for electric vehicles and increased borrowing costs have acted as barriers to EV adoption over the past two years, causing demand for such vehicles to grow at a slower-than-expected pace.

Escalating climate change concerns and the pressing need to cut greenhouse gas emissions have given a boost to the global push for electrification in the transportation sector.

‘By working together, the companies aim to bring down the total cost of EV ownership for Uber drivers, accelerating the uptake of EVs on the Uber platform globally, and introducing millions of riders to greener rides,’ the companies said in a statement. 

Some 126,000 Uber drivers out of 7 million had zero emissions vehicles at the end of 2023. The company plans to accept only drivers with EVs in Europe and North America from 2030.

‘When an Uber driver makes the switch to an EV, they can deliver up to four times the emissions benefits compared to a regular motorist, simply because they are on the road more,’ Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said.