Uber Is Testing An Electric Car Program In Chicago

Chicago now serves as home to an Uber fleet comprised of 25 all-electric cars, and they’re not Tesla’s Model S P85D. Uber has teamed up with Chinese automaker BYD or “Build Your Dream” in an effort to help its drivers either buy or lease new cars. While it seems odd that the company has chosen to partner with BYD instead of with manufacturers more well-known in the country like Tesla, e6s are larger than many other EVs.

BYD’s e6 electric wagon can get up to 186 miles per charge and it’s already used by taxi companies in other cities around the world. Uber’s test program in Chicago currently has 25 drivers using e6 electric cars.

The cars will be sold and managed by a local Chicago dealership that will offer drivers with a traditional lease and a $200-per-week rental that lets drivers use the cars during their Uber shifts.

The 25 e6s roaming the city came from local dealership Green Wheels USA, which offers Uber drivers a number of payment options, including traditional lease-to-own programs. At the moment, most drivers seem to prefer paying the dealership $200 per week to rent the EV. That option allows them to bring back the cars to Green Wheels’ lot for recharge after their driving shift.

Source: Engadget