Uber taps Tata Motors for the largest EV commitment of its kind
Uber and Mumbai-based Tata Motors signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Monday to bring 25,000 EVs onto its network, the largest commitment between an automaker and rideshare platform in India.
As one of the most popular rideshare companies, Uber has a massive responsibility to cut emissions from its fleet and protect the environment.
Uber just reached a massive new milestone, crossing 2 billion trips in the fourth quarter of 2022 for the first time, equivalent to a whopping average of nearly 1 million trips per hour.
Although this is a huge accomplishment, it also means more vehicles in its network and, therefore, more emissions. Studies have shown that ride-hailing trips can result in 69% more climate pollution than an average trip they look to replace.
The rideshare giant is on a mission to overcome this with plans for a 100% zero-emission fleet globally by 2040. To jump-start the initiative, Uber injected $800 million in 2020 to help its drivers go electric.
Meanwhile, Tata Motors has been a pioneer, accounting for 44,000 EVs of the 51,172 sold in India’s EV market. Its lineup includes India’s most affordable electric vehicle, the Tata Tiago, with a starting price of just over $10,000 (INR 869 Lakh), which has been a hit since rolling out.
Tata is teaming up with Uber, India’s leading rideshare platform, to accelerate sustainable mobility in the country.
Uber and Tata Motors launch 25,000 XPRES-T EVs
Uber and Tata Motors revealed through a press release today a new partnership to electrify India’s transportation.
Starting this month, the agreement will bring 25,000 XPRES-T EVs to Uber’s fleet network.
Shailesh Chandra, president of Tata Motor’s passenger vehicle and electromobility business, explained how the partnership would benefit not only the company but also India, saying:
Working towards our aim of growing India’s e-mobility market, we are delighted to announce our partnership with Uber, India’s leading ridesharing app, for their expansion of sustainable mobility options. With this association, we have taken another leap towards enhancing electric mobility across the country, and will continue our work in ‘Moving India’ to a safer, smarter and greener future.
Tata launched the XPRES brand for fleet customers with the XPRES-T EV sedan as the first vehicle under the umbrella. Chandra says the XPRES-T EV is a “very attractive option for customers and operators” with two range options – 315 kilometers (195 miles) and 277 kilometers (172 miles).
The electric sedan features a high energy battery density of 26 kWh and 25.5 kWh and a 72 V three-phase AC induction electric motor.
Electrek’s Take
Uber and Tata’s new partnership is significant in a country that is just gaining traction in zero-emission EVs.
India is the world’s third-largest contributor of greenhouse gases (GHG) but did announce its intentions to become a net-zero emitter by 2070 at COP26. In addition, the country set an EV sales penetration target of 30% private cars, 70% commercial cars, 40% of buses, and 80% two and three-wheelers by 2030.
The Uber and Tata partnership will be a start as both companies look to advance zero-emissions EVs in India.
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Environment
U.S. crude oil falls below $60 a barrel to lowest since 2021 on tariff-fueled recession fears
A view shows disused oil pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan April 2, 2025.
Pavel Mikheyev | Reuters
U.S. oil prices dropped below $60 a barrel on Sunday on fears President Donald Trump’s global tariffs would push the U.S., and maybe the world, into a recession.
Futures tied to U.S. West Texas intermediate crude fell more than 3% to $59.74 on Sunday night. The move comes after back-to-back 6% declines last week. WTI is now at the lowest since April 2021.
Worries are mounting that tariffs could lead to higher prices for businesses, which could lead to a slowdown in economic activity that would ultimately hurt demand for oil.
Oil futures, 5 years
The tariffs, which are set to take effect this week, “would likely push the U.S. and possibly global economy into recession this year,” according to JPMorgan. The firm on Thursday raised its odds of a recession this year to 60% following the tariff rollout, up from 40%.
Fueled by incentives from the Illinois EPA and the state’s largest utility company, new EV registrations nearly quadrupled the 12% first-quarter increase in EV registrations nationally – and there are no signs the state is slowing down.
Despite the dramatic slowdown of Tesla’s US deliveries, sales of electric vehicles overall have perked up in recent months, with Illinois’ EV adoption rate well above the Q1 uptick nationally. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that the number of new EVs registered across the state totaled 9,821 January through March, compared with “just” 6,535 EVs registered in the state during the same period in 2024.
Those numbers represent more than 50% growth in EV registrations – far beyond the expected 12% first-quarter increase nationally being projected by Cox Automotive. (!)
What’s going on in Illinois?
While President Trump and Elmo were running for re-election, they campaigned on the threat promise of canceling the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs. Along with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker made countermoves – launching a $4,000 rebate for new electric cars and up to $1,500 for the purchase of a new electric motorcycle.
At the same time, the state’s largest utility, ComEd, launched a $90 million EV incentive program featuring a new Point of Purchase initiative to deliver instant discounts to qualifying business and public sector customers who make the switch to electric vehicles. That program has driven a surge in Class 3-6 medium duty commercial EVs, which are eligible fro $20-30,000 in utility rebates on top of federal tax credits and other incentives (Class 1-2 EVs are eligible for up to $7,500).
We covered the launch of those incentives when the program was announced at Chicago Drives Electric last year, but the message here is simple: incentives work.
SOURCES: Chicago Business, Ray Cunningham; featured image by the author.
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The electric construction equipment experts at XCMG just released a new, 25 ton electric crawler excavator ahead of bauma 2025 – and they have their eye on the global urban construction, mine operations, and logistical material handling markets.
Powered by a high-capacity 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery capable of delivering up to 8 hours of continuous operation, the XE215EV electric excavator promises uninterrupted operation at a lower cost of ownership and with even less downtime than its diesel counterparts.
XCMG is delivering on part of that reduced downtime promise with the lower maintenance and easier repair needs of electric equipment, and delivering on the rest of it with lickety-quick DC fast charging that can recharge the machine’s massive battery in 1.5-2 hours … but that’s not the slick bit. The XCMG XE125EV can be powered up without leaving the job site thanks to its BYD battery swap technology.
We first covered XCMG and its battery swap technology back in January, and covered similar battery-swap tech being developed by MOOG Construction offshoot ZQUIP, as well – but while XCMG’s battery tech has been in production for several years, it’s still not widely known about in the West (even within the industry).
XCMG showed off its latest electric equipment at the December 2024 bauma China, including an updated version of its of its 85-ton autonomous electric mining truck that features a fully cab-less design – meaning there isn’t even a place for an operator to sit, let alone operate. And that’s too bad, because what operator wouldn’t want to experience an electric truck putting down 1070 hp more than 16,000 lb-ft of torque!?
Easy in, easy out
The best part? All of the company’s heavy equipment assets – from excavators to terminal tractors to dump trucks and wheel loaders – all use the same 400 kWh BYD battery packs, Milwaukee tool style. That means an equipment fleet can utilize x number of vehicles with a fraction of the total battery capacity and material needs of other asset brands. That’s not just a smart use of limited materials, it’s a smarter use of energy.
You can check out all the XE215EV’s specs at this tear sheet, and get an in-person look at the Chinese company’s latest electric excavator this week in Munich, Germany.
SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG.
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