Here’s how Uber is getting rid of its EV drivers’ range anxiety

Uber has partnered with mobility platform developer Smartcar to develop Battery-Aware Matching, which filters an EV driver’s trip requests based on state of charge.

Range anxiety is real among Uber EV drivers. Uber surveyed 16,000 of its EV and non-EV drivers in North America and Europe in 2022, and reported that “the majority of survey participants worry that not enough EV charging exists to enable them to start using an EV.”

So, enter this new software, which is currently being piloted by Uber drivers. Drivers connect their cars via Smartcar Connect with a few clicks to activate the feature for all future rides, and they only share necessary data permissions.

Smartcar’s API enables Uber to integrate EV battery-level data into its Driver app, ensuring that EV drivers are only assigned rides within their state of charge. That allows Uber drivers to accept trips that end near an EV charger and avoid trips that are too long for their existing charge. 

Michael Alexander, Uber’s head of sustainability product, said, “We’re excited about the early feedback from drivers. Drivers who’ve used Battery-Aware Matching during initial testing tell us they’re less likely to run out of battery and less likely to cancel rides because they’re too long.”

The feature will be available to drivers of select makes and models at launch, and Smartcar says expansion plans are in the works. 

The ride-hailing app giant has committed $800 million in resources to help drivers switch to EVs by 2025. Uber aims to be a zero-emission platform in US and Canadian cities by 2030 and be completely carbon-free by 2040 globally.

Read more: Call an Uber in Phoenix and a driverless car might show up, starting today

Photo: Smartcar

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