RMI and Uber Team Up to Expand Shared and Electric Mobility

This case study describes a partnership between the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the City of Austin, and Uber to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) within transportation network companies (TNCs). The initiative focused on understanding driver barriers through focus groups and implementing awareness campaigns to transition high-mileage drivers to zero-emission vehicles.

• RMI and the City of Austin developed a Smart Mobility Roadmap to transition the city's transportation system toward shared, electric, and autonomous mobility services. The goal is to create a system that reduces oil dependence and lowers local emissions and CO2 by providing a suite of options including public transit, carshare, rideshare, and microtransit.
• Focus groups with Uber drivers identified several primary barriers to EV adoption, including 'range anxiety' caused by battery limitations and uncertainty regarding trip lengths. Charging infrastructure challenges include an insufficient number of DC fast chargers (DCFCs), unreliable charging stations and apps, and a lack of personal services (such as restrooms and coffee) at charging locations.
• There is a significant cost disparity between gasoline-powered and electric vehicles for high-mileage drivers in Austin. Gasoline drivers estimated monthly spending of $800–$1,000 on fuel and $120–$200 on maintenance, while EV drivers typically spent only $30–$50 per month on charging.
• In response to driver feedback, Uber is implementing in-app changes to support EV drivers, such as reducing the threshold for long-trip notifications to mitigate range anxiety. Uber is also introducing rider-facing notifications and educational materials to increase public awareness of EVs.
• Austin Energy is expanding its DC fast charging network, with a first wave of rollouts scheduled for 2018–2019. The utility received $1.6 million from the State of Texas Alternative Fueling Facilities Program to strategically deploy stations based on focus group data.

APA

RMI (2018). RMI and Uber Team Up to Expand Shared and Electric Mobility. https://rmi.org/resources/rmi-and-uber-team-up-to-expand-shared-and-electric-mobility/

Chicago

RMI. RMI and Uber Team Up to Expand Shared and Electric Mobility. 2018. https://rmi.org/resources/rmi-and-uber-team-up-to-expand-shared-and-electric-mobility/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=RMI and Uber Team Up to Expand Shared and Electric Mobility |date=19 June 2018 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/rmi-and-uber-team-up-to-expand-shared-and-electric-mobility/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2018rmi, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{RMI and Uber Team Up to Expand Shared and Electric Mobility}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2018}, month = jun, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/rmi-and-uber-team-up-to-expand-shared-and-electric-mobility/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }