4 ms·

It seems like it would take tremendous effort on Uber's part to keep EVs viable as ride sharing vehicles otherwise you're looking at vehicles that will provide

It seems like it would take tremendous effort on Uber's part to keep EVs viable as ride sharing vehicles otherwise you're looking at vehicles that will provide 3 or 4 trips a shift then be done for the day. Refueling an ICE takes 5 minutes tops then it's back on the road at 100% effectiveness and gas stations are everywhere. Even with the highest DC Fast Charging you're still looking at 15-30 minutes to get an EV to 80% and DC Fast Chargers are uncommon, so there would need to be a build out of DC Fast Chargers available possibly exclusively to Uber EVs. Highway speeds are nightmares for EV range so Uber would need to assign fares selectively based on vehicle types and routes. Loitering isn't an effective use of an EV so you'd need to provide parking solutions near prime pickup locations. You can safely assume an ICE has range for a 10-15 mile trip anywhere but with EVs you'd need to be aware of the battery capacities and plan routes near charging stations so EVs could top up. It just seems like a nonstarter and I'd feel bad for an Uber driver who purchases an EV thinking it will net them more profits.

Animats 8y ago
vehicles that will provide 3 or 4 trips a shift then be done for the day. Average Uber trip: 6 miles. Range of Chevy Bolt: 200+ miles.
- cozzyd 8y ago
  Sure, but there's likely at least a multiplier of ~2 or so for idling and driving between passengers. Perhaps an Uber driver could provide a real number for (total miles driven / billed miles).
  - cptskippy 8y ago
    The Avg Trip metric doesn't at all take into account the loiter and distance to fare mileage. Also the MPGe mile ratings on EVs are great for comparing one EV to another but as an EV owner I do not think they're representative of the actual range of an EV. I have an Nissan Leaf with a 24kWh battery and my 25 mile commute uses anywhere from 8-12kWh of charge. With a range rating of 84 miles, that's 28-42 miles. You might dismiss that by saying I'm driving aggressively but the Leaf's range estimator usually indicates 90+ miles when I'm at 100% charge and is based on the previous trip's performance, so I'm beating the average.
petra 8y ago
>> so there would need to be a build out of DC Fast Chargers available possibly exclusively to Uber EVs. This is great! Doing hard things is what gives a business a sustainable advantage. Such advantage may be needed for UBER in the age of self-driving cars. >> Highway speeds are nightmares for EV range so Uber would need to assign fares selectively based on vehicle types and routes. maybe 20%-30% penalty on range: https://pushevs.com/electric-car-range-efficiency-epa/ https://pushevs.com/electric-car-range-efficiency-epa/ Seems manageable with DC charging, considering all the benefits. >> Loitering isn't an effective use of an EV so you'd need to provide parking solutions near prime pickup locations. That's a problem.

Animats 8y ago

vehicles that will provide 3 or 4 trips a shift then be done for the day. Average Uber trip: 6 miles. Range of Chevy Bolt: 200+ miles.

cozzyd 8y ago
Sure, but there's likely at least a multiplier of ~2 or so for idling and driving between passengers. Perhaps an Uber driver could provide a real number for (total miles driven / billed miles).
- cptskippy 8y ago
  The Avg Trip metric doesn't at all take into account the loiter and distance to fare mileage. Also the MPGe mile ratings on EVs are great for comparing one EV to another but as an EV owner I do not think they're representative of the actual range of an EV. I have an Nissan Leaf with a 24kWh battery and my 25 mile commute uses anywhere from 8-12kWh of charge. With a range rating of 84 miles, that's 28-42 miles. You might dismiss that by saying I'm driving aggressively but the Leaf's range estimator usually indicates 90+ miles when I'm at 100% charge and is based on the previous trip's performance, so I'm beating the average.

petra 8y ago

>> so there would need to be a build out of DC Fast Chargers available possibly exclusively to Uber EVs. This is great! Doing hard things is what gives a business a sustainable advantage. Such advantage may be needed for UBER in the age of self-driving cars. >> Highway speeds are nightmares for EV range so Uber would need to assign fares selectively based on vehicle types and routes. maybe 20%-30% penalty on range: https://pushevs.com/electric-car-range-efficiency-epa/ https://pushevs.com/electric-car-range-efficiency-epa/ Seems manageable with DC charging, considering all the benefits. >> Loitering isn't an effective use of an EV so you'd need to provide parking solutions near prime pickup locations. That's a problem.