Thousands of electric car drivers could return to petrol and diesel models if proposed changes from London Mayor Sadiq Khan are to be introduced at the end of the year.
There are estimated to be 20,000 Uber drivers in London with electric cars, with many switching to a cleaner vehicle in recent years.
Despite the promising uptake of electric vehicles, there are fears that drivers may turn their backs on zero emission vehicles and return to petrol or diesel cars.
The looming threat comes as Transport for London plans to axe the Cleaner Vehicle Discount on December 25, 2025, which currently applies to the Congestion Charge.
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|Major changes are set to be introduced to the Congestion Charge in the coming months
Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London have put the proposals forward in a consultation, which is set to end next month.
If the plans are given the green light, electric vehicles could face fresh charges of £18 a day for driving inside central London, a hike from £15, which is set to come into effect on January 2, 2026.
As part of the Mayor's Air Quality Fund, new discounts could be made available from the January deadline, which would see a 25 per cent discount for electric cars registered for Auto Pay.
A separate 50 per cent discount would apply to electric vans, Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), light quadricycles and heavy quadricycles registered for Auto Pay.
A new Uber study found that 51 per cent of drivers were "likely" to switch back to a car with an internal combustion engine if the Congestion Charge plans are to go ahead.
A staggering 13 per cent said they would consider quitting private hire vehicle work altogether, according to the Standard.
One driver noted that they would have never purchased an electric vehicle and "got myself into debt for the next five years" if the plans were outlined sooner.
Another said: "As an electric vehicle driver, I made the switch to support cleaner transport.
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"But with these new charges affecting everyone, regardless of emissions, what's the point? If this is the direction TfL is going, I might as well go back to a non-EV."
Uber operates the PowerUp Package which helps drivers save as much as £23,000 on an electric vehicle if they are operating in London.
This includes a £3,000 EV assistance grant, which is available until September 30, 2025, alongside a partnership with Kia that slashes the upfront cost of new EVs.
People can save up to £13,900 on a Kia EV3, up to £19,900 on a Kia EV6 and a staggering £20,000 on the luxury Kia EV9 SUV.
PA | Thousands of Uber drivers have already switched to electric vehicles, although this could change in the near future
Uber also announced that people who refer drivers could receive £150 on top of the usual referral reward if the new driver completes their first 50 trips in an electric car.
Drivers can also make use of exclusive charging rates from BP Pulse, which could see them pay just 27p/kWh for speeds up to 7kWh and 49p/kWh for 50kWh and above.
New sign-ups to Uber will automatically become eligible to use the BP Pulse charging rates once their Uber status is validated.
As part of Uber's Clean Air Plan, it aims to ensure that every car on the app in London is fully electric by the end of this year.