Uber's CEO wants you to ride in an electric car — and is fine if it's made in China

• Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said tariffs on Chinese EVs are "negative" for the planet.
• He said that Chinese EVs are part of the solution to the climate crisis.

Uber wants to go electric and use Chinese EVs to do so.

In an interview with the BBC, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that EVs made in China would be crucial in fighting the climate crisis and criticized the tariffs imposed by the US and the EU on Chinese automakers like BYD.

It comes as Uber attempts to convince its drivers to switch to electric vehicles, with the company aiming to have all its rides made by zero-emission vehicles by 2040.

Khosrowshahi told the BBC that "high-quality" Chinese EVs were part of the solution to the climate crisis, and that electric vehicles made in China were "good for the environment."

The Uber CEO also said tariffs against Chinese EVs introduced by the US and Europe were "negative" for the planet, suggesting that Chinese-made electric vehicles could help ease the transition to EVs by providing a steady stream of more affordable vehicles.

"For us, we want to electrify our fleet, and we want to make sure that it is affordable for our drivers," said Khosrowshahi.

Uber announced a partnership with Chinese Tesla rival BYD in August, which would see Uber drivers in various markets — including Europe — get discounts on 100,000 BYD vehicles.

Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether this deal is still running after the EU's tariff announcement.

Sweeping tariffs

BYD and its China-based competitors like Nio and Zeekr have been hit by a series of tariffs introduced by Western governments seeking to protect their car industries from a wave of cheap Chinese EVs.

The US announced a 100% import tax on Chinese electric cars in May, while the EU recently voted to raise tariffs on Chinese manufacturers to as high as 45%.

The trade barriers have received a frosty reception from some within the auto industry, however.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who previously called for measures to stop Chinese EVs from "demolishing" their Western rivals, said he was "generally in favor of no tariffs" after the Biden administration introduced the new import taxes.

Uber says it has invested around $800 million in convincing its drivers to go electric, introducing incentives such as discounted charging.

Customers can also select an electric EV in certain areas when they request an Uber but Khosrowshahi said they may have to get used to waiting a little longer as most Ubers are still petrol, diesel, or hybrid.

"We're not saying, hey, wait 15 minutes, but if you have to wait another two, or three minutes to help the environment, why not make that investment?" he said.

"A couple of minutes isn't going to kill anyone," he added.