The electrification of taxi and rideshare fleets in cities like New York and San Francisco has led to a new challenge: a lack of sufficient charging infrastructure.

According to Uber, rideshare drivers are adopting electric vehicles (EVs) at five times the rate of the general population, driven by government mandates and commercial incentives.

While cities like San Francisco, Boston, and New York are gradually adding curbside charging stations, the rollout has been slow and primarily supports overnight charging.

In San Francisco, where around 25% of new cars sold are electric, there are approximately 1,000 public charging stations, but only 174 are fast chargers. The city’s mayor has plans to double the number of fast chargers by 2030.

By the end of 2023, New York introduced the Green Rides Initiative, requiring all rideshare vehicles to be electric or accessible to people with disabilities by 2030.

In response, the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission issued around 10,000 electric-only licenses, which were quickly snapped up.

As a result, the number of electric vehicles in the rideshare fleet has surged from 2,000 to 10,000, now making up about 10% of the city's rideshare fleet.