bp will offer Uber drivers incentives to charge their electric vehicles (EVs) with bp pulse under a new partnership. The companies will also explore working together on convenience and fuel offers, with bp’s global network of nearly 21,000 branded retail sites that offer fuel, food and facilities like toilets, London-based bp said.
San Francisco-based rideshare company Uber aims to have 100% of rides on the platform in EVs, micromobility or public transit by 2024, while bp aims to become a net zero company by 2050 or sooner.
The partnership will help accelerate Uber’s commitment to become a zero-tailpipe emissions mobility platform in the United States, Canada and Europe by 2030 and globally by 2040. And bp can use its global footprint to help drivers transition to EVs by providing access to reliable and convenient charging, including ultra-fast charging speeds, bp said. bp has 22,000 charging points worldwide, with operations in 10 countries. Its goal is to have more than 100,000 charge points worldwide by 2030.
“Drivers on Uber’s platform need great value access to the fast, reliable charging infrastructure we’re building as they make the switch to electric,” said Richard Bartlett, CEO of bp’s global electrification brand bp pulse. “We’re investing billions of dollars worldwide in high-speed EV charging, digital products and services and large scale bp pulse Gigahubs that will help commercial customers eliminate tailpipe emissions.”
- bp is No. 7 on CSP’s Top 40 update to the 2022 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by company-owned store count. Watch for the updated list in June.
The partnership helps address concerns of ride-hailing drivers, as identified in a recent survey from Uber, by providing reliable and convenient charging infrastructure they need to feel confident about making the switch to electric, bp said. It will build on Uber’s initiatives to help drivers go electric, including a charging map directly on the driver app to show where the nearest EV charges are and information on the cost of owning an EV versus a non-EV.
“We want Uber to be the cleanest platform on Earth because it's the right thing for consumers, our cities and our business,” said Christopher Hook, Uber’s global head of sustainability. “Getting to 100% electric is not something Uber can do alone. It is a team sport, and it will take partnerships like this to reach zero tailpipe emissions, especially as we know availability of easy to access, affordable charging infrastructure is one of the biggest challenges for drivers.”
Uber and bp will focus on collaborating in key markets in Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom first, with other countries like Australia and New Zealand to follow.
This isn’t the first time bp and Uber have partnered. In March 2022, the companies formed a global convenience delivery partnership. At the time, bp aimed to have more than 3,000 retail locations available on the delivery platform over the next three years.
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