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  1. ITV Report

Uber fares in London going up from Wednesday to pay for electric cars

Uber fares in London will be increased from Wednesday to help drivers buy electric cars.

A clean air fee of 15p per mile will be added to every trip taken in the capital. The minicab app firm expects the scheme to raise more than £200 million in the coming years, which will be used to help drivers convert to electric cars.

A London driver using the app for an average of 40 hours per week will be given around £3,000 towards the purchase cost of an electric car in two years, according to the company.

  • The clean air fee will not include miles travelled to a passenger's pick up location and will not be affected by dynamic pricing
  • Uber expects the surcharge to be around 45p for an average trip
  • It wants 20,000 cars on its app in London to be fully electric by the end of 2021, increasing to every car by 2025
  • There are currently around 45,000 Uber drivers in the capital

When the plan was announced in October last year, Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said:

The Mayor of London has set out a bold vision to tackle air pollution in the capital and we're determined to do everything we can to back it.

Our #200 million Clean Air Plan is a long-term investment in the future of London aimed at going all-electric in the capital in 2025. Over time, it's our goal to help people replace their car with their phone by offering a range of mobility options - whether cars, bikes, scooters or public transport - all in the Uber app.

– Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber