New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Thursday that an agreement had been made between City Hall and ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft to convert their car fleets in the city to fully electric by 2030. Adams stated, “That’s zero emissions for over 100,000 vehicles on our city streets. And it will be achieved with no new costs for individual drivers. We’re pleased that both companies are embracing this shift.”
According to the New York Post, the agreement announced during the mayor’s annual State of the City address aims to reduce pollution across the five boroughs. However, the specific language of the new rule has yet to be released.
The companies reportedly agreed to the conversion in anticipation of new regulations from the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), which will require all city cab and for-hire vehicle fleets to be “green” by the deadline. The TLC regulates the industry and is responsible for issuing medallions, licenses, and license plates for taxi and for-hire vehicles.
Electric vehicles are already being integrated into the fleet of traditional yellow cabs, with Ford’s Mustang Mach-Es and Tesla’s Model 3 being added.
