BYD May Explore Robotaxi Through Partnership with Uber to Supply 100,000 EVs

TMTPost -- China’s top electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD Co. Ltd, may expore robotaxi globally through its new partnership with Uber Technologies Inc., a ride-hailing giant and the largest on-demand mobility and delivery platform in the world.

Credit：BYD

BYD and Uber reached a multi-year strategic partnership, which allows BYD to supply 100,000 new EVs onto the Uber platform across key global markets, according to a statement of these companies earlier this week. Beginning first in Europe and Latin America, the partnership is expected to offer drivers access to best-in-class pricing and financing for BYD vehicles on the Uber platform, and will expand to include markets across the Middle East, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the companies said in the statement.

BYD and Uber aim to bring down the cost of EV ownership for Uber drivers, accelerating the uptake of EVs on the Uber platform globally, and introducing millions of riders to greener rides, according to the statement. While Uber, as an operator of the most widely available on-demand EV network in the world, enables drivers to go electric five times faster than private car owners, driver surveys show the price of EVs and availability of financing remain the key barriers to switching, the statement noted. BYD can address the pain point since its EVs have lower costs of maintenance and repair, in addition to their affordability, and are well suited to ridesharing due to the wide range of models, superior battery performance, and excellent build quality.

As part of efforts to promote electrification of cars, BYD and Uber said they may also offer discounts on charging, vehicle maintenance, or insurance, as well as financing and lease offers, based on what works best for drivers in a given market. They will also collaborate on future BYD autonomous-capable vehicles to be deployed on the Uber platform as Uber is well-positioned to bring autonomous vehicle technology across the globe at scale.

“As the largest global agreement of its kind, we’re thrilled about the benefits this partnership will deliver for drivers, riders, and cities,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. “When an Uber driver makes the switch to an EV, they can deliver up to four times the emissions benefits compared to a regular motorist, simply because they are on the road more. Many riders also tell us their first experience with an EV is on an Uber trip, and we’re excited to help demonstrate the benefits of EVs to more people around the world.” "This collaboration marks a new era in the electrification of urban mobility, and we look forward to seeing our cutting-edge EVs become a common sight on the streets of cities worldwide, " commented Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD and CEO of BYD Americas.

The two companies didn’t disclose which EV models will be available on the Uber platform. The joint efforts stirred speculation that BYD and Uber may join hands on business like robotaxi. BYD’s U.S. rival Tesla Inc. has postponed release of robotax prototypes by two months to October. BYD’s domestic peer Xpeng Inc. recently signaled it is seeking partners for robotaxi. Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng said he would meet with Didi CEO and Uber CEO as his company is likely to join force with such ride-hailing platforms on a robotaxi program in the future. In one of his LinkedIn posts, He shared the robotaxi plan. ”Regarding Robotaxi, Tesla aims to handle everything from the vehicle to operations, which differs from our approach. XPENG’s Robotaxi will follow a set pace and launch a highly competitive Robotaxi in 2026. Moreover, we will not get involved in operations, but will work with our beloved partners to drive this revolution,” He wrote.