BMW Group South Africa says it has teamed up with Uber to create an electric commuting pilot project in the hopes of reducing CO₂ emissions in Johannesburg.
Cleverly dubbed “UberGREEN”, the trial project is set to take place in the Gauteng city from 9 May to 3 June 2016. During that period, Johannesburg commuters will be able to request a BMW i3 electric vehicle, operated by Uber driver-partners at UberX prices.
The local arm of the German automaker says the pilot project will involve five i3 models. The vehicle, which can be had in all-electric and range-extender variants, was first introduced to South Africa in March 2015, with a total of 124 units being sold since then.
“In order for the momentum of electric mobility to increase, partnerships with market leaders like Uber are essential to expose more consumers to the viability of electric vehicles and sustainable urban mobility options,” said Tim Abbott, managing director of BMW Group SA.
Towards the end of 2016, BMW Group SA will expand its model range by offering an i3 version boasting an increased battery capacity, with the result being a claimed 50% increase in range.
