How much does Uber really cost?

Uber is adding more polluting car trips to already-clogged European cities such as London and Paris, new analysis suggests – contributing to air pollution and climate change and exploding the company’s sustainability claims.

New data compiled by Euromonitor shows a surge in Uber drivers in Europe. In France, the number of reported private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers doubled in three years; in London almost doubled in three years.

This has made Uber a giant taxi company in Europe.

Since Uber’s arrival in London, its biggest European market, taxi and PHV trips have increased by roughly 25% in the capital. This data strongly correlates with a 23% increase in overall CO₂ emissions for the taxi and PHV sector in the UK in the same period.

The analysis estimates that in London and Paris alone, the emissions of Uber taxi services could be as high as half a megatonne of CO₂. This is equivalent to adding the CO₂ emissions of an extra 250,000 privately owned cars to the road.

These kilometers have predominantly been driven by petrol and diesel cars, exacerbating the air pollution crisis in European cities. Worryingly, French government data from 2017 show that 90% of the registered private hire vehicles, which includes Uber, were diesel cars.

For more data and stats on Uber’s negative impact on cities, download our press release and full briefing below.