Uber Green is a better way to ride around town for the environment. This article discusses What Uber Green is, how much it costs, and when you can use it. We’ll also discuss how Uber and other ride services affect our planet and suggest eco-friendly ways to get around. We all have a role in keeping the air clean, and choosing green transportation is one way to help.
What is Uber Green
Have you heard about Uber Green? It’s something that Uber offers on their app. You can pick it up when you need a ride, and it’ll get you a car that doesn’t make as much bad air pollution. These cars are special because they use electricity or a mix of electricity and gas. This means they don’t create as much of a bad gas called CO2 as regular gas cars do. And don’t worry, picking Uber Green doesn’t cost more than picking a regular Uber ride called UberX. So, it’s a good choice if you want to help the environment without spending extra money.
Here are some important things to remember:
- You don’t have to choose Uber Green to get a “clean” ride – you can also get a low-pollution car with an UberX ride.
- Uber Premium costs about 60% more than UberX or UberGreen. You can learn more about how much each one costs in our article about Uber fares.
- Uber Green uses cars that are better for the environment. These cars might be hybrids or “zero-emission” vehicles, so they don’t create bad gases. But you can’t choose a car that’s 100% electric.
- You can find Uber Green on the Uber app like all other ride options.
- Where are the Uber Green Rides Available?
Although you can use Uber to get around in over 80 countries, not all cities with Uber offer the Uber Green option.
Luckily, you can find Uber Green in more than 1,400 cities worldwide! These cities include Austin, Houston, Miami, New York City, London, and Paris. You can find out if Uber Green is offered in your city by checking out the city’s page on the Uber website.
On the page, you’ll see some of the ride options Uber offers in your city. But if you want to see all of the different ride options, you can download the Uber app and take a look for yourself.
- How Does Uber Green Option Work?
For Riders
- Uber offers many types of rides, from carpooling to medical transportation.
- One option is Uber Green, which uses electric or hybrid cars for a more eco-friendly ride.
- Download the Uber app on your phone to request an Uber Green ride.
- Once logged in, type your destination into the app and select the Uber Green option.
- Then, tap “request” and confirm where you want to be picked up.
Here are some points to keep in mind when using Uber Green:
- The types of vehicles available on Uber Green may vary depending on the model. If you need to go on a long-distance ride, the electric vehicle option may not be available.
- You can ride in an electric or hybrid vehicle when requesting an Uber Green ride.
- Surge pricing and cancellation policies for Uber X rides also apply to Uber Green rides.
- You can schedule an eco-friendly ride in advance, just like any other type of Uber ride. Check out our guide to learn more about scheduling an Uber ride.
For Drivers
If you drive for Uber in the USA and have a hybrid or electric car, you can provide Green rides without any extra steps. You needn’t update your app or contact Uber support to activate this feature. If you meet the following requirements, you’ll automatically receive Green ride requests:
Your car is a low-emission hybrid or EV vehicle.
Your car meets the Uber X requirements (Check out our detailed guide to Uber car requirements).
Some examples of Uber Green cars are:
Toyota Prius
Nissan Leaf
Honda Accord Hybrid
Tesla models
Toyota Camry
Rav4 Hybrid
Hyundai IONIQ electric
Uber has some restrictions in certain European countries. However, they are promoting green rides to be more environmentally friendly. The European Commission has recognized its goal of being an electric platform by 2030. In London, Uber is helping drivers switch to electric vehicles through their Clean Air Plan. Electric cars have many benefits, including lower maintenance and saving money on gas. If you’re considering using a Nissan Leaf for Uber, it can travel up to 149 miles and has different charging options.
- UberX VS Uber Green
If you’re wondering what the difference is between UberX and Uber Green, here’s what you need to know:
- An Uber Green ride costs $1 more than an UberX ride.
- When you take an eco-friendly ride with Uber Green, your driver earns an extra $0.50, and the other $0.50 goes towards the Green Future program, which helps more drivers switch to electric cars by 2025.
- If you choose Uber Green, you can earn more Uber Rewards points – 3x per trip compared to 2x points for an UberX ride.
- Sustainability And Uber
Since Uber started, people have been asking many questions about how the company works, how safe it is for passengers, and how it affects workers’ rights. Some studies have shown that Uber might be making traffic worse, even though the company wants to help people get rid of their cars.
In 2020, the CEO of Uber said that the company wants to be eco-friendly by 2040, which means that all the rides they offer won’t create any pollution. This is a big goal, and it’s something that investors are keeping an eye on because they want to see Uber keep growing.
Aside from expanding its Uber Green service, the company based in San Francisco has taken other steps to combat climate change. These actions include:
- Helping drivers switch to electric vehicles: Uber has pledged over $800 million to assist hundreds of thousands of drivers in switching to battery-powered electric cars by 2025.
- Supporting sustainable options: You can rent bikes and scooters through the Uber app. Lime, which operates in over 55 cities worldwide, is fully integrated with the app.
- Being transparent: Uber strives to be transparent. You can check out their Climate Assessment and Performance Report for an in-depth analysis of the grams of CO2 emitted per passenger mile travelled in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles.
In December 2020, Uber became a member of The Climate Pledge, a group of companies committed to reducing carbon emissions by 2040. This organization was started by Amazon in 2019 and currently has over 201 member companies. As part of the pledge, these companies commit to reporting their greenhouse gas emissions, following the Paris Climate Agreement, and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
In February 2021, Uber introduced a new ride option called Uber Planet in Mexico. This option allows users to offset the carbon footprint of their ride through the Uber app. A similar option called Uber Eco was first introduced in Costa Rica. While this is a positive step, it’s important to remember that ride-sharing apps like Uber are just one part of the problem of climate change, and we need to approach the issue from a broader perspective.
- Choose Sustainable Transportation
When we talk about sustainable transport, we mean using modes of transportation that are safe for people and the environment and rely on renewable resources whenever possible.
To fight climate change, it’s important to use the transportation options with the smallest carbon footprint.
- Carpooling 🚗
When you drive, the emissions produced depend on the vehicle type you use and the number of passengers. Carpooling is a good alternative to driving alone, especially if you’re not using an electric vehicle.
Carpooling for a distance of 10 miles produces 1095 gCO2e, which is 67% less than if you drove alone.
According to Nicolas Brusson, the CEO of BlaBlaCar, a study showed that by making buses more efficient and having zero empty seats on the road, carpooling saved 272,746 tonnes of CO2 in 2019. You can read our review of BlaBlaCar.
If you’re looking for a more sustainable way to commute, consider Uber Pool.
With UberPool, you can share your ride with another passenger going in the same direction, reducing the number of vehicles on the road and reducing urban pollution.
In 2015-2016, UberPool riders helped save millions of miles of driving.
For readers in the US, Waze Carpool is another good option to consider.
2. Ride a Bike 🚴
Riding a bike is a great option if you’re looking for an eco-friendly and efficient way to travel short distances. Bikes don’t use any fossil fuels and are one of the most efficient modes of transportation. They can be just as fast as cars in urban areas!
Compared to a regular car, a bike emits only 2 grams of CO2 per kilometre travelled, which is about 4.5 times less. Even low-emission electric bikes produce just 2.5 to 5 grams of CO2 per mile travelled. So, next time you must make a short trip, consider hopping on your bike instead of driving!
3. Use the tram to travel green 🚊
Trams are a great way to travel without harming the environment! They produce very little pollution compared to other forms of city transportation, with only 3.3 grams of CO2 per kilometre per passenger. Public transportation, in general, is good for the environment, and many cities are working to make it even better by using new technologies, cleaner fuels, and improving service.
4. Walk to move to your place
Walking is not only good for your health, but it’s also good for the environment! Walking instead of driving or public transportation can reduce air and noise pollution. Walking also helps preserve local wildlife and their habitats. So next time you’re travelling a short distance, consider walking instead!
Ride Green
Now that you’ve learned about the Uber Green rides option consider choosing an eco-friendly ride next time you use the Uber app. Making sustainable choices can contribute to a cleaner and healthier world.
By changing the way we travel, we can make a positive impact on the environment. So, remember to wear comfortable shoes and try walking or using other sustainable means of transportation whenever possible. Let’s do our part to create a cleaner and more sustainable future.
Also read: What is Uber One?
