• by Tanya Gazdik , June 1, 2023

Ford is collaborating with Uber to deliver a new lease option for rideshare drivers going electric. 

Called Ford Drive, the pilot program offers flexible access to Ford Mustang Mach-E models and has launched in San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Ford Drive’s Los Angeles vehicle deliveries began today.

The new pilot program from the automaker’s Ford Next unit aims to create flexible electric solutions for drivers who use the Uber platform in select U.S. markets, allowing them to lease a vehicle for more customized time periods.

Ford Next incubates and launches new businesses that create value for Ford by complementing Ford products and creating new business models and customer experiences.

The pilot is the first of its kind between an automaker and rideshare network and furthers both companies’ electrification and emissions goals, according to Ford. 

When high-mileage drivers make the switch to electric, communities see up to four times the emissions reduction benefit compared to the average car owner, according to a report from Uber.

Drivers with Uber in San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles can sign up now on the Uber Marketplace. Additional details about the pilot are available on forddrive.com

In each city, the Ford Drive team works with local dealers to purchase a fleet of Mustang Mach-Es. Service and maintenance of those vehicles are conducted through dealers as well.

California is Uber’s leading North American market for EV uptake, with close to 10% of all on-trip miles completed in fully electric vehicles as of late 2022.

Uptime and ease of use are critical to rideshare drivers, says Bill Knapp, who leads Ford Drive.

“We’re glad that the initial feedback on this venture has been so strong, and it’s exciting to explore solutions supporting Uber and Ford’s shared electrification goals,” Knapp says in a release.

Drivers of fully electric vehicles on the Uber platform in North America are eligible for the Zero Emissions incentive, which currently lets them earn an extra $1 on every Uber Rides trip (up to $4,000 per calendar year).

Ford is investing more than $50 billion in electric vehicles through 2026. As part of its Ford+ plan, Ford is working to deliver a 600,000 EV production run rate globally by the end of this year and 2 million globally by the end of 2026.