CleanTech Innovation Showcase Presenting Company Recap: Uber Technologies
By Dana Sulas
CleanTech Alliance Contributor
Adam Gromis and Bryce Bennett discussed Uber’s recent advances in ridesharing technology and their electric vehicle pilot initiatives around the world at the 2017 CleanTech Innovation Showcase.
Active in 76 countries and more than 450 cities, Uber provides a market-driven solution that addresses both mobility demand and environmental challenges associated with large-scale transportation. Over 1.5 million drivers contribute to five million Uber trips per day, reducing the environmental impact per passenger mile for point-to-point, on-demand transportation. With a goal of complementing public transit and reducing the demand for personal car infrastructure and services, Uber has partnered with transit authorities who sponsor Uber rides to fill in the gaps in public transport for several cities across the United States.
Recently, Uber has deployed over 200 electric vehicles in initiatives in six countries, including cities abroad such as Lisbon, Madrid, Paris, and London as well as the first U.S.-based electric vehicle initiative in Portland. Uber estimates that the Portland initiative will save a million gallons of gas in the first three years, and that their partnership with the city of Portland will help to build out electric vehicle infrastructure such as charging stations. In addition, Uber aims to educate about the benefits of electric vehicles by expanding the number of drivers and referring riders to the Forth electric vehicle showroom in downtown Portland.