Ride-Hailing Drivers Are Ideal Candidates for Electric Vehicles

The report highlights the economic and environmental advantages of transitioning transportation network company (TNC) drivers to electric vehicles. It demonstrates that high-mileage drivers can achieve significant annual savings in fuel and maintenance, which eventually offset the higher initial purchase price of EVs. Using Austin, Texas, as a case study, the document details specific utility incentives and compares EV acquisition methods—purchasing, renting, and leasing—to guide TNC drivers toward electrification.

• Full-time TNC drivers working 50 hours per week can save an average of $5,200 annually in total vehicle expenses by using an EV instead of a gas vehicle.
• EVs offer substantial maintenance savings over time because they have fewer moving parts and do not require oil changes, air filters, timing belts, or spark plug replacements. In the first year, full-time TNC drivers can save over $2,700 in maintenance and repair, with total five-year savings reaching up to $21,000.
• The environmental impact of electrifying half of TNC drivers in New York and San Francisco would be a reduction of 1.5 billion pounds of carbon from the atmosphere annually.
• In Austin, Texas, specific utility programs enhance EV economics, including a home charging station rebate of up to 50 percent and the EV360 program, which provides unlimited off-peak home charging for a flat rate of $30 per month.
• RMI recommends EVs specifically for TNC drivers who drive more than 20 hours per week or those operating older vehicles from 2007 or earlier, as these groups benefit most from lower operational costs and the replacement of expensive-to-maintain older cars.

APA

RMI (2018). Ride-Hailing Drivers Are Ideal Candidates for Electric Vehicles. https://rmi.org/resources/ride-hailing-drivers-ideal-candidates-electric-vehicles/

Chicago

RMI. Ride-Hailing Drivers Are Ideal Candidates for Electric Vehicles. 2018. https://rmi.org/resources/ride-hailing-drivers-ideal-candidates-electric-vehicles/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Ride-Hailing Drivers Are Ideal Candidates for Electric Vehicles |date=29 March 2018 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/ride-hailing-drivers-ideal-candidates-electric-vehicles/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2018ridehailing, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Ride-Hailing Drivers Are Ideal Candidates for Electric Vehicles}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2018}, month = mar, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/ride-hailing-drivers-ideal-candidates-electric-vehicles/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }