BEIJING: Uber Inc said on Friday it struck a deal with Chinese automaker BYD Co Ltd to test a fleet of electric cars for its drivers.
The test programme, which kicked off a few weeks ago in Chicago and could eventually expand to other cities, is the Silicon Valley startup’s first attempt to focus on an electric vehicle, said Uber spokeswoman Lauren Altmin.”We’ve seen interest in the programme already from current and potential Chicago partners drivers,” Altmin said.
Uber, which allows users to summon rides on their smartphones, originally started with a luxury town-car service but in many cities has added UberX, a low frills service with nonprofessional drivers using personal cars. The BYD offering is aimed at those drivers.
The electric car is part of Uber’s programme to help drivers buy or lease new or used cars.
About 25 BYD vehicles are currently being used by Uber drivers in Chicago, and the hope is to bring that number to a couple of hundred by the end of the year, according to Doug Snower, Green Wheels’ president. Uber began talking to BYD and Green Wheels late last year, Altmin said.
BYD gained Warren Buffett’s backing in 2009 and announced plans to sell its e6 electric car in the United States the following year. Since then, BYD’s U.S. business has focussed mainly on electric buses for public transportation.
BYD publicized the programme on its Facebook page but declined to comment on the deal with Uber.
