Adani Group working on partnership with Uber to roll out electric vehicles
Uber is looking to replace its fleet with EVs, including in India, in line with its commitment of becoming a zero-emission mobility platform before 2040;
The Adani Group is working on a strategic partnership with Uber to roll out tens of thousands of electric vehicles (EVs) on the ride hailing platform.
According to sources, this was part of the discussions between Adani Group Chairman Mr Gautam Adani and Uber CEO Mr Dara Khosrowshahi during their meeting on Saturday. In a post on X, Mr Adani had posted pictures of him with Mr Khosrowshahi, who is currently on a visit to India, saying, “Absolutely captivating chat with @dkhos, CEO of @Uber. His vision for Uber’s expansion in India is truly inspiring, especially his commitment to uplifting Indian drivers and their dignity. Excited for future collaborations with Dara and his team.
Replying to Mr Adani, Mr Khosrowshahi posted on X: “An absolutely terrific conversation with @Gautam_adani over delicious breakfast about India’s phenomenal growth and rising entrepreneurship. @Uber is committed to scaling up shared mobility and accelerating transition to EVs – looking forward to take our partnership to the next level.”
Uber is looking to replace its fleet with EV vehicles across the globe, including in India, in line with its commitment of becoming a zero-emission mobility platform before 2040. Earlier in February, the platform said its eco-friendly, global EV service, Uber Green, is now available in Delhi.
The Adani Group has forayed into the electric mass mobility segment by deploying e-bus fleets. It recently submitted bids for tenders floated by the government for 3,600 electric buses.
Sources said a tie-up with Uber fits well with the Adani Group’s renewable energy push, setting up a network of charging stations across India and completing the loop by powering the EV fleet with green energy. The partnership has the potential to boost the adoption of electric four-wheelers in India since manufacturers have been seeking commercial applications on a massive scale to become financially viable, and could very well become one of the largest EV fleet partnerships in the world for Uber.
The adoption of EVs on such a large scale could create a massive number of jobs and provide dignity of labour for the driver entrepreneurs. It will also give a big push to the gig economy in India.
With the Adani Group operating several airports across the country, such a partnership could completely change the cab experience for air travellers with a seamless experience and premium cab services, along with dedicated mobility zones. With the Group announcing some time ago that it was working on expanding the services of its super app AdaniOne, the tie-up could result in it providing end-to-end travel services, including cab booking with Uber integration, flights, hotels, airport services, and insurance, among others.
Uber, which entered India in 2013, has completed over 3 billion trips since then and is now available across 125 cities. According to the company, it has helped over 8,00,000 Indians earn a sustainable income by getting into the driver’s seat.
The Adani Group has committed to investing $100 billion in India’s green energy transition over the next 10 years and plans to scale up to 10 GW of solar manufacturing capacity by 2027. “India is on the cusp of becoming a global leader in renewable energy, and Adani Green Energy is at the vanguard of this revolution,” he had said in December last year.