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More than half of taxi and Uber customers in Europe are willing to pay an extra 15-20 cents per kilometer for a zero-emission ride, according to a poll published by survey organisation YouGov today.
52% of people surveyed in seven European countries said they would spend the extra amount per km (0.6 miles) if their ride was in a vehicle that does not produce carbon emissions, such as an electric car. The proportion was higher (60%) for younger riders aged 18-24. The proportion was highest in Europe’s main cities, at 59% in Paris and 57% in Brussels.
The survey was commissioned by the #TrueCostOfUber campaign, which has been trying to pressure the company to offer incentives to its drivers for switching to electric vehicles. The group published a report in November finding that the advent of ride-sharing apps has caused pollution in cities like London to go up. Uber says it is working with cities to reduce air pollution, and has pointed out that ride-sharing apps have helped move cities away from individual car ownership, which reduces pollution.
The survey published today suggests the public in Europe’s biggest cities don’t necessarily agree. Only 12% of Londoners said Uber has a positive impact on air quality, while 44% said it has a negative impact. Over a third of Parisians say Uber impacts negatively on pollution levels in the city, while a fifth think the opposite.
“Uber’s customers are wise to its air pollution and are even willing to chip in for a clean ride,” said Yoann Le Petit, a new mobility expert with Transport & Environment, part of the campaign group. “The #TrueCostOfUber campaign urges the company to electrify its fleet in its 10 biggest European cities by 2025.”
YouGov
Ahead of the Paris mayoral election in March, the citizens platform SumOfUs has started a petition calling on all the candidates for mayor to commit to cracking down on ride-sharing apps, both in terms of pollution and security. More than 17,000 people have signed the petition so far.
