#California says Uber, Lyft must shift to electric cars by 2030

Uber and Lyft drivers in California will be forced to shift plans to go electric into high gear under a new rule from the state’s clean-air regulator. 

By 2030, at least 90 percent of both ride-hailing companies’ miles driven must be through plug-in vehicles, California’s Air Resources Board decreed on Thursday. 

The edict will help move California closer to the state’s goal of essentially eradicating gas-powered vehicle ownership in the state. Sales of new gas-powered passenger vehicles will be banned by 2035, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom said last year. 

“The transportation sector is responsible for nearly half of California’s greenhouse gas emissions, the vast majority of which come from light-duty vehicles,” said California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Rudolph in an announcement of the ride-share rule. “This action will help provide certainty to the state’s climate efforts and improve air quality in our most disadvantaged communities.”

California’s rule, however, is actually less ambitious than Uber and Lyft’s self-imposed targets. Both companies have promised to shift to all-electric fleets by 2030, and both have said the California government needs to spend more money to help their workers afford plug-in cars, according to Reuters.

Electric vehicles are currently pricier in general than gas-powered alternatives.

Paul Augustine, senior manager of sustainability at Lyft, expressed support for the California rule in a statement to The Post, saying the company “advocated for aggressive targets throughout the process.”

Uber global head of sustainability Adam Gromis said the company “shares California’s climate and EV goals,” adding that Uber plans to help drivers purchase electric vehicles.