New York City is experiencing a significant shift in its rideshare landscape. Over a few months, the number of battery-electric rideshare vehicles in the city has increased fivefold.
Approximately a year ago, there were around 2,000 electric Uber and Lyft cars on the streets, but now that figure has risen to over 10,000 BEVs, as reported by InsideEVs with information verified by NYC Open Data.
Currently, nearly 10% of the entire rideshare fleet, which includes Uber and Lyft vehicles, consists of electric cars. Hybrids make up 14% of the fleet, with the remainder being gas-powered vehicles.
This influx of thousands of additional vehicles adds to the already congested streets of the city. Despite plans to expand the charging infrastructure with dozens of additional chargers, there are concerns that the current network may become overwhelmed.
TLC Commissioner David Do commented on this development, stating, “In just four months, this administration has made significant progress, equivalent to two years’ worth, toward our goals for a cleaner, more sustainable rideshare fleet.”
He further remarked, “We are now focused on supporting our EV drivers and collaborating with charging providers to increase the availability of charging stations.
The charging industry is highly interested in our reliable market of hardworking EV drivers, and I am confident that we will soon see a variety of new charging options to support our journey toward sustainability.”
In October 2023, the City of New York implemented its Green Rides Initiative, which requires all new for-hire vehicles (FHV) to be electric.
This resulted in a sudden surge in FHV license applications, with the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission’s daily intake skyrocketing from 150 to 2,000 applications overnight, according to a TLC spokesperson interviewed by InsideEVs last month.
The New York Taxi Worker’s Alliance has filed a lawsuit against the city, seeking to reinstate the cap on FHVs. A Manhattan Supreme Court judge has intervened, ordering the TLC to temporarily halt the acceptance of further applications.
As of now, the TLC has approved approximately 7,500 applications, with about 2,500 still pending, according to a spokesperson from Revel interviewed by InsideEVs.
Many drivers have shown interest in vehicles like the Tesla Model Y and Model 3, but even models such as the Toyota bZ4x have gained popularity due to the brand’s reputation for reliability and durability.
