Uber Technologies is increasing its investment and growth ambitions in the UAE by accelerating its strategy of electrifying its fleet in accordance with sustainability aims.

 

The ride-sharing pioneer plans to double the rides taken on its electric vehicle or hybrid fleet in the Emirates to make up 20 per cent of all trips by the end of 2023, Andrew Macdonald, senior vice president for mobility at Uber, as per nationalnews.

 

The UAE and Middle East are regions that are "leading on a number of the key priorities for the business, including our efforts on sustainability, which includes electrifying our platform. They are places where we're investing in expanding our product portfolio," Mr Macdonald said.

 

"Putting money behind driving consumer adoption [for EVs] ... and that investment pool flow and Uber Green in the UAE is a big priority for us."

 

According to him, the UAE is also an important element of Uber's worldwide $800 million Green Future initiative, which will assist subsidize the consumer move to EVs.

 

"We haven't split that amount by region or by country, but it's safe to say that the Middle East and the UAE will benefit from that level of support," Mr Macdonald said.

 

When the investment was announced in 2020, Uber stated that it will function as a zero-emission transportation platform in US, Canadian, and European cities by 2030. Uber's services, including its delivery arm, will be run on zero-emission cars by 2040.