SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 12 — Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc said today it was expanding its electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid ride option to over 1,400 new cities in North America.

Riders in cities such as Washington DC, Austin, Calgary, Houston, Miami, New York City, Tucson, Winnipeg can now opt for the "green trip” option, which includes lower-emission rides, the company said in a blog post.

The company also said drivers can now rent a zero-emission vehicle through rental car service provider Avis. This option is currently only available at Los Angeles, although Uber plans on expanding it nationwide in 2021, it said.

Uber in September said every vehicle on its global ride-hailing platform will be electric by 2040, and vowed to contribute US$800 million (RM3.2 billion) through 2025 to help drivers switch to battery-powered vehicles, including discounts for vehicles bought or leased from partner automakers.

The company’s plan follows years of criticism by environmental groups and city officials over the pollution and congestion caused by current cars that burn a lot of fossil fuels and calls for fleet electrification. — Reuters