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Uber to test a fleet of Chinese-made BYD EVs in the US

BYD e6 - Anthony Kendall (CC BY-SA 2.0) copy

Chinese automaker BYD’s electric buses have been attracting a lot of interest from North American transit authorities. However, the company’s plans to bring its E6 electric passenger car to the US, which it has been talking about since 2009, have come to little so far.

That might be about to change. According to Reuters (via Green Car Reports), drivers for the controversial taxi service Uber are testing 25 BYD E6s in Chicago, and there are plans to bring the Chinese EV to other cities as well. According to Doug Snower, President of BYD distributor Green Wheels, a couple hundred more BYDs will soon be placed into service with Uber drivers.

The program by Uber allows drivers to purchase or lease EVs at special rates.

“We’ve seen interest in the program already from current and potential Chicago partners (drivers),” Uber spokeswoman Lauren Altmin told Reuters.

The E6 is already being used by a taxi company in Brussels and, according to Bidness Etc, by a chauffeur service in London.

 

Source: Reuters via Green Car ReportsBidness Etc
Image: Anthony Kendall (CC BY-SA 2.0)

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