Houston Republic

The Office of Mayor Sylvester Turner has entered a partnership between BP, Uber and the City of Houston to help drivers on Uber’s platform make the transition to electric vehicles.

The three teamed up to explore the development of BP’s rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs. In addition to the development of charging hubs, the corporations will identify areas in Houston that are the most suitable for their deployment. 

“Collaboration is essential to meeting Houston’s climate goals,” Turner said. “Transitioning to EVs is one of the fastest steps we can take to improve air quality and community health in Houston.” 

In the collaboration, Uber and the City of Houston pledged to help with BP’s goal of decarbonizing and reducing emissions in cities across the country. Uber pledged to become a fully zero-emission platform by 2040, with all of their rides taking place in zero-emission vehicles. The City of Houston established a goal of 30% electric vehicle adoption by 2030 with the formation of EVolve Houston, whose goal is to improve regional air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Greater Houston area.

“BP supports Mayor Turner’s vision for Houston and his plan to help drive the transition to a low carbon future,” BP Executive Vice President William Lin said. “We look forward to bringing together the expertise of Uber and BP – building on our existing partnership – to find new and innovative ways to drive down emissions by encouraging more EV use across the city.”

“This initiative is a testament to the city's leadership and the momentum EVs are gaining in the Energy Capital,” Chris George, executive director of EVolve Houston, said. “It will take collaborations like these to continue improving air quality, exceeding emissions reduction targets, and working towards Houston’s 30 by 30 EV goal.”