Uber introduced a new feature called Emission Savings and this allows a user to learn more about their carbon footprint and their impact on the environment. Through this feature, users are given a 'rider rating' that determines their usage and tracks their impact individually, also using this to nudge customers in the right direction and make more impactful choices in their rides.
Despite lowering an individual's emission rate when using Uber, users may still contribute to pollution unless they opt for EVs in their rides for an almost zero-emission experience.
In a new press release by Uber, the company introduced the new Emission Savings feature on the app, one that promotes a "low-emissions lifestyle" to help make them mindful of their environmental impact. Being mindful of one's surroundings is only a part of this green lifestyle, as users also need to start within themselves to effect this philosophy.
This feature is made available globally, and it will tell a person how much carbon footprint they contributed with their rides but also focus on the positive impact they have with the use of Uber.
Uber will preview several metrics like 'Estimated CO2 savings,' 'Your positive impact,' 'Your eco-friendly rides,' and more.
Uber said that this feature is similar to the rider rating feature, and this is because this will show how much they helped the environment and reduced carbon footprint through their choice of ride, may it be Uber Green or Uber Comfort Electric.
The app would also help calculate their emission savings based on the length of their ride and miles traveled. The company also makes this available for teen account holders, rolling out to select cities in the US and Canada.
Uber and its Clean Energy Ventures
While it is known that Uber is not a car manufacturer, the ride-hailing app still deploys cars with internal combustion engines or hybrids which are still contributors to greenhouse gases and such. However, there were several investments made by Uber, and mostly partnerships, to center on clean energy ventures, with one being its collaboration with Waymo, known for its exclusive use of the Jaguar I-PACE EVs.
As part of Uber's Climate Pledge for 2040, the company is already investing heavily in clean energy vehicles, centering on its recent partnership for its fleet. The company chose KIA and its PV5 modular electric car for its ride-hailing service, encouraging its drivers to make the switch and use these EVs for their everyday duties in bringing users from point A to B.
Additionally, Uber also recently partnered up with Elon Musk's Tesla for this massive push towards electrified transportation, relying on its EVs for the service it will render the users.
Uber wants you to be conscious of your transportation, especially for its ride-hailing service, offering this Emission Savings feature that offers useful metrics that communicate the carbon footprint caused by one's use of the app's transportation method.
