The Green Lie: Why Uber Abandoned Its Electric Car Promise
- Uber has cut monthly EV bonuses for US drivers and backed anti-EV legislation, effectively retreating from its 2030 zero-emissions pledge despite doubling its carbon footprint.
- CEO Dara Khosrowshahi publicly supported President Trump's bill that slashed clean energy incentives, contradicting the company's previous stance that government support was vital.
- Drivers who bought EVs based on promised incentives now face financial hardship, while Uber prioritizes $20 billion in stock buybacks over its $800 million driver support fund.
[Uber is quietly slamming the brakes on its aggressive push to electrify its global fleet. The ride hailing giant has discontinued monthly cash bonuses for drivers who switch to electric vehicles (EVs) in the US, a move that directly contradicts its public pledge to be a zero emissions platform by 2030. This reversal comes despite Uber's emissions nearly doubling over the past three years—its carbon footprint now exceeds that of the entire nation of Denmark. Drivers like Levi Spires in New York, who purchased a Tesla specifically to capitalize on these incentives, now face a grim financial reality as earnings plummet and the extra cash they relied on evaporates.
The retreat from green subsidies coincides with a dramatic political pivot. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi appeared in a White House video promoting President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," legislation that environmentalists have labeled the most anti climate law in history. The bill slashed federal EV incentives that Uber previously argued were essential for its transition. In a stunning about face, Khosrowshahi later told media outlets that his company didn't need government subsidies to succeed, even as Uber's own regulatory filings in California argued that hitting electrification targets was "no longer technically feasible" without them.
The financial disconnect is stark. While Uber is cutting driver incentives, its operating profits are set to double this year, and the company has authorized $20 billion in stock buybacks. Critics argue that Uber is prioritizing short term shareholder returns over long term climate commitments. The company has spent only $539 million of the $800 million it pledged to support drivers' transition to EVs by the end of 2024. Instead of direct cash, Uber is now banking on "Uber Electric," a feature that lets eco conscious riders specifically request an EV, theoretically driving more trips to those drivers.
The ripple effects are being felt across the industry. Uber's main rival, Lyft, has also quietly scrapped its deadline for a fully electric fleet. Both companies are now lobbying against state mandates that would force them to electrify, arguing that the removal of federal support makes compliance impossible. This collective backpedaling exposes the fragility of corporate climate pledges when political winds shift and profitability is on the line. For drivers stuck with expensive car payments and vanishing bonuses, the green revolution has turned into a financial trap.