Energy

California Might Force Uber and Lyft To Drive Electric Cars

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A bill in the California legislature calls for ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft to operate solely on zero-emissions vehicles.

Not to be outdone with a solar panel mandate for every household and other environmental decrees in recent years, legislators in California are now turning their focus to popular ride-sharing apps. Legislation introduced in the state Senate aims to quickly shift companies like Uber and Lyft onto a 100 percent electric vehicle mandate. If passed, the bill would require 20 percent of the miles traveled by ride-hailing services be done in zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs. This mandate rises to 50 percent by 2026 and ultimately 100 percent by 2030.

“It makes the most sense to focus on those cars that are going to be on the road the most,” state Sen. Nancy Skinner, a Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, said in a Forbes article published Wednesday. “It doesn’t necessarily make sense to have all of our electric vehicles be somebody’s second or third vehicle that’s mostly just parked in their garage.”

The bill, which has been dubbed E-CAr, has already cleared two committees and is currently in Senate Appropriations Committee for review. E-CAr would still need to be approved before a vote in both chambers.

If passed, the sweeping mandate would have a major impact on Uber and Lyft, both companies are headquartered in California and have over 200,000 drivers operating in the state. Uber is currently “neutral” on the bill, whereas Lyft has voiced more hesitation on the implications such a mandate could bring, according to Forbes.

“Our concern with this bill is the impact it would have on Lyft drivers, the vast majority of whom drive part-time as a way to supplement income and support their families,” stated Lyft spokesman Adrian Durbin. “We are engaging with the sponsor of this legislation to find ways to prioritize infrastructure development and incentivize EVs.”

On average, electric vehicles cost around $10,000 more than equivalent gasoline-powered cars.

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