Uber South Africa this week launched its first fleet of electric cars in Johannesburg. By the end of January, it plans to have 350 EVs on the city’s roads.

Uber Go Electric allows commuters to pay entry-level prices like those for Uber Go, and for drivers Uber has said the EVs will improve the economics of earning by removing one of the biggest pressures on them – fuel costs.

Uber’s choice of the brand of EVs it deploys depends largely on local market conditions and vehicle availability. In South Africa, through a partnership with South African company Valternative Energy, drivers lease the cars directly from Uber. They can also buy them should they choose to.

Uber said more than 200 000 EVs are bookable worldwide via its platform as of last month.

So, what are the cars that Uber has launched? According to Valternative, the vehicle being deployed in South Africa is the Valternative EV4, which is manufactured by Beijing Henrey Automobile Technology in China, a specialist in small, urban electric cars.

The EV4, a hatchback, has a permanent magnet synchronous motor, a seating capacity of four, electric power steering and a sports mode.

The maximum output from its single electric motor is 35kW, while maximum torque is 105Nm, top speed is 85km/h and it has a maximum climbable gradient of 22 degrees.

Digital dashboard

Its DC fast-charge takes 40 minutes to go from 20% to 80%, while the slower AC charge takes eight hours (10% to 100%). The charging connector type is a CCS2-compliant integrated socket. The vehicle runs on a lithium-ion battery with 25kWh capacity. Its estimated city range is 250km (city cycle range).

The car also comes with a digital dashboard with a seven-inch LCD infotainment screen and a dual-screen display. It has Bluetooth, CarPlay and Android Auto support, a reverse camera and tyre pressure monitoring system.

Read: Uber going electric in South Africa

Through Valternative, drivers have access to charging infrastructure and vehicle servicing. The introduction of the EVs is part of Uber’s mission to ensure that 100% of its rides and deliveries are in zero-emission vehicles by 2040. — © NewsCentral Media

Get breaking news from TechCentral on WhatsApp. Sign up here.