Uber and climate leadership group C40 Cities have agreed an international partnership to help major US and European cities significantly boost access to charging infrastructure.

With access to charging overtaking vehicle cost as the number one barrier preventing drivers from going electric, the C40 programme will work across three cities – London, Boston and Phoenix – to facilitate the uptake of EVs by high-mileage drivers thanks to technical support, research and policy advocacy.

Uber is also launching a new tool to help cities identify neighbourhoods where EV charging is needed most. Planned for rollout in 40 cities around the world, the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Estimator (EVIE) tool will give cities access to projected future demand for EV charging from Uber drivers.

Uber has surveyed drivers since 2021 on their willingness to switch to an EV. For the first time since this survey began, access to charging has become the top issue preventing drivers in the US and UK from going electric, overtaking the cost of EVs.

Uber’s work with the C40 programme across London, Boston and Phoenix will tackle this. Each city will be involved in the shaping of a tailored report on high-mileage vehicle users’ needs, including support to identify priority sites for both public chargers and near-home charging.

The tie-up is expected to help more than 55,000 Uber drivers who currently lack access to affordable and convenient charging.

Mark Watts, executive director at C40, said: “C40 is proud to be working with Uber to support London, Boston and Phoenix in ramping up access to charging services for high-mileage vehicles. Ensuring that charging infrastructure is accessible means people living in cities can reap the benefits in terms of cleaner air and quieter streets, while making it easier for the highest-mileage drivers to switch to electric, which will make a significant contribution to cutting carbon emissions in our cities.”

Uber’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Estimator (EVIE) tool will also give cities globally access to projected future demand for EV charging from Uber drivers. With charging access a top barrier to EV adoption for drivers, the EVIE tool will support infrastructure planning in cities, helping identify ‘charging deserts’ where installations are most needed.

The tool gives municipal and utility officials the ability to pinpoint, down to less than a square kilometre, where public chargers should be installed to help more high-mileage drivers go electric.

For example, across the 40 cities now available in EVIE, Uber analysis shows that more than 10,000 public fast-chargers and 270,000 home chargers are needed to meet the demand from Uber drivers going electric. A majority of these chargers will need to be installed in areas where EV infrastructure has been historically lacking, including higher-density urban areas, airports, and areas designated as economic opportunity zones. Areas of high demand include neighbourhoods such as Hounslow and Wembley in London, Maryvale and Eastlake Park in Phoenix and Dorchester in Boston.

This follows Uber’s £5m investment in charging infrastructure across three London boroughs with large populations of ride-share drivers. The latest utilisation data from these chargers in Newham shows usage over double the national average – demonstrating the benefit of building EV chargers in previously underserved locations.

Uber has also announced a new deal with Vmoto that will help thousands of couriers access discounted e-mopeds across Europe. Uber and Vmoto will also collaborate on London’s first battery-swap pilot for electric mopeds in London in Q3 2025.

Rebecca Tinucci, global head of sustainability at Uber, said: “We’re proud to partner with C40 and city leaders to help unlock EV infrastructure where it is most needed. Reliable, accessible charging will help accelerate economic opportunity for thousands of drivers and create healthier communities in the process.”

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London and co-chair of C40 Cities, said: “As Mayor of London and Co-Chair of C40, I look forward to working with Uber to support essential drivers to access charging where they need it most.”