Uber and ENSO: An EV Partnership for Electric Taxi Tyres
Uber has unveiled a new partnership with tyre manufacturer ENSO.
The collaboration provides Uber drivers in London with a 50% discount on ENSO’s specialised EV tyres, which are designed to enhance vehicle performance and reduce operational costs.
The initiative makes these advanced tyres, created for popular EV models like the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, accessible through the Uber Marketplace app.
This arrangement aims to lower the financial burden on drivers transitioning to EVs while simultaneously addressing the environmental impact of their journeys.
ENSO, a finalist in The Earthshot Prize, engineers tyres that specifically tackle common EV challenges by extending battery range and minimising particulate pollution from tyre wear.
Improving EV range and reducing costs
The partnership directly addresses two key considerations for any EV driver: range anxiety and running expenses.
By offering more durable and efficient tyres, the collaboration helps drivers maximise their earnings and vehicle uptime. ENSO's products have been developed to give EV drivers tangible benefits.
“ENSO is playing its part in reducing costs and environmental impact for Uber drivers today,” explained Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, CEO at ENSO.
“This has been made possible through our partnership with Uber and The Earthshot Prize; a collaboration that brings together sustainability with scale and commercialisation to deliver real impact.
“ENSO develops A-A rated tyres specifically for EVs like Tesla’s to give drivers more range on a single charge, pay less upfront for their tyres and replace them less often, all of which helps Uber drivers earn more per mile.”
Accelerating the transition to electric fleets
This initiative is part of a broader strategy by Uber to encourage its drivers to adopt EVs.
As a founding partner of The Earthshot Prize, Uber actively supports climate technology start-ups through nominations, mentorship and commercial opportunities.
Uber’s collaboration with ENSO is its first with an Earthshot Prize finalist.
According to Uber, London has become the centre of its global electrification strategy with nearly 40% of its miles in the city now being completed in fully EVs.
Uber has already directed £145m from its Clean Air Fund to support drivers making the switch.
“We’re proud to partner with ENSO as part of our ongoing mission to make it as easy and affordable as possible for drivers to go electric in the UK,” says Brit Grant, Head of Electrification at Uber UK.
“Uber drivers are already switching to EVs five times faster than the general public and initiatives like this help us keep up that momentum.
“By reducing running costs and cutting emissions, this partnership supports our commitment to a cleaner, greener future for cities like London.”
London’s expanding EV infrastructure
The Uber and ENSO partnership contributes to a wider city-wide movement towards electric mobility.
London’s iconic black cab fleet is also transforming.
The number of zero-emission-capable (ZEC) taxis has increased by 10% in six months and now constitutes more than half of the 7,970 licensed vehicles.
This growth is supported by what is described as the most comprehensive EV charging network in any UK city.
This change is seen as crucial for improving public health.
“The Mayor and TfL are taking decisive action to tackle London's toxic air and to help ensure London hits its target of achieving net zero carbon by 2030 and London's taxi trade are supporting this goal by switching to cleaner, greener taxis for the benefit of London,” says Seb Dance, The Deputy Mayor for Transport.
The combined efforts of corporations like Uber and public sector initiatives could show a clear path towards making every journey in the capital emission-free by 2030.
