Ride-sharing services currently result in 69% more emissions, on average, than the trips they displace, according to a recent study by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
But, if the ride-sharing vehicles were electric, it’s a whole different story. Replacing one gasoline-powered ride-sharing car with an electric vehicle (EV) has three times the climate benefit as replacing a personal car with an EV.
Some companies like Cruise and Aurora go even further, developing electric autonomous fleets, which could further reduce the carbon footprint of ride-share vehicles.
Climate Now spoke with Dave Rubin, Head of Policy Research at Cruise, a self-driving, ride-sharing service, to understand how electric and autonomous vehicles could help us decarbonize road transportation, and the challenges ahead for wide-scale adoption.
Featuring:
Dave Rubin
Head of Policy Research at Cruise
Dave Rubin
Head of Policy Research at Cruise
Dave Rubin is the Head of Policy Research at Cruise, a rideshare provider powered by self-driving, all-electric cars. Previously, he worked in strategic management consulting in Washington D.C. with a focus on transportation. Dave has a Master of Arts in Energy, Resources, and the Environment from Johns Hopkins University.
Hosted By:
James Lawler
Climate Now Host
James Lawler
Climate Now Host
Darren Hau
Climate Now Transportation Host
Darren Hau
Climate Now Transportation Host
Darren Hau is a Senior Charging Manager at Cruise, focused on optimizing and deploying the infrastructure required to electrify autonomous vehicle fleets. He previously worked at Tesla, where he helped design the V3 Supercharger, and co-founded Dragonfly Systems, a solar power electronics company that was acquired by SunPower. He is the inventor of several U.S. patents and a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient. Darren holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
