On July 31, ride-hailing platform Uber announced a partnership with BYD to introduce 100,000 BYD electric vehicles to drivers on the Uber platform through an agreement that includes optimal pricing and financing services. The two companies will also collaborate on developing BYD's autonomous vehicles and deploying them on the Uber platform. This move is widely seen as a signal of their joint entry into the Robotaxi market.
BYD and Uber have reached a multi-year cooperation agreement, starting in Europe and Latin America, with plans to gradually expand to markets in the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand.
Uber's Perspective and Plans:
Uber is one of the largest ride-hailing and delivery service platforms in the world. In the first quarter of 2024, Uber had approximately 149 million monthly active users, and around 7.1 million drivers and delivery partners. One of the goals of this partnership is to significantly reduce the overall cost of ownership and operation of electric vehicles for Uber drivers, thereby promoting the adoption of new energy vehicles on the platform.
Uber mentioned that the main obstacles for its drivers in switching to electric vehicles are the high price and difficulty in obtaining loans.
BYD has pledged to Uber that, to help its drivers choose electric vehicles, it will further consider offering discounts on charging rates, vehicle maintenance, or insurance, and will provide financing and leasing options based on specific market conditions.
Additionally, Uber believes that BYD's electric vehicles are affordable, with lower maintenance and repair costs, and offer advantages in model variety and battery performance, making them particularly well-suited for shared mobility scenarios. Although the specific models were not mentioned in the press release, images in the article suggest that the potential models might include the BYD Seal, Seal U SUV, and Atto 3 SUV.
This Isn't BYD's First Major Leasing Order
In October 2022, BYD announced a deal with European car rental company SIXT, in which SIXT planned to purchase at least 100,000 new energy vehicles from BYD over the next six years, averaging 17,000 vehicles per year. The first phase of the collaboration includes markets in Germany, the UK, France, and the Netherlands.
The ATTO 3, known as the Yuan PLUS in China, will be the first all-electric vehicle offered by BYD to customers. This compact SUV is developed on BYD's e-platform 3.0.
Founded in 1912 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, SIXT is one of the world's leading car rental companies. Currently, SIXT operates in over 100 countries with more than 2,100 locations, and has a global fleet of approximately 240,000 vehicles.
