TfL plans to make every Uber in London electric
Key Points
- TfL has launched a consultation on new proposals that would require every private hire vehicle in the capital to be zero-emission compliant.
- It proposes that from July 2028, no new licences are issued to vehicles that are not fully electric or plug-in hybrid, with an exception made for wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
- The change aims to reduce harmful air pollution in London, with the proposed rule forecast to reduce PHV-related emissions by 97% in 18 years.
- TfL has also proposed reducing the maximum length of a PHV licence to one year, and not allowing vehicles older than 10 years to renew their licence.
Transport for London (TfL) has launched a consultation to accelerate the transition towards zero-emission vehicles by private hire vehicle (PHV) operators, including Uber and Bolt drivers.
The organisation has published plans that would require all newly licensed private hire vehicles in the capital to be zero-emission from July 2028, meaning they should be either fully electric or plug-in hybrid. For vehicles that are wheelchair-accessible, the deadline will be July 2030.
Vehicles that drive for Uber and Bolt are operated under PHV licenses in the United Kingdom, with drivers required to register their vehicle and gain their own independent PHV licence before they are allowed to operate on these platforms.
TfL hopes that through these proposed changes, the NOx and CO2 emissions generated by private hire vehicles can be significantly reduced.
It said that if these changes were made, CO2 emissions from private hire vehicles would fall by 35% in the first ten years, and NOx emissions by 9%. Over 18 years, TfL forecasts that these emissions would drop by 97%.
While this proposal may sound ambitious, requiring all newly licensed vehicles to be electric or plug-in hybrid in less than two years, drivers in London are already making this switch themselves.
According to TfL, more than 70% of all private vehicles are now zero-emission capable. 35% of the 94,661 vehicles actively licensed by TfL are fully electric, and another 35.2% are plug-in hybrids.
TfL noted, however that zero-emission capable vehicles still produce emissions from their exhaust when they are operated in non-electric mode, i.e. their engine is running.
The proposals by TfL would also see no more approvals for alternative fuel conversion systems for private hire vehicles, reducing the maximum length of a PHV licence to one year, and not allowing vehicles older than 10 years to retain their licence.
“We recognise the crucial role that London’s private hire services play for customers, providing a vital door-to-door service,” said TFL Strategy Director Christina Calderato.
“This is especially true where the public transport network has gaps or cannot yet meet all our customers’ needs.”
“However, this isn’t the only role they play. Private hire vehicles are also a vital component in London’s transition to becoming a more sustainable and healthier city with less pollution,” Calderato said.
“Building on the progress that has already been made, this consultation sets out our proposals to strengthen those achievements and drive forward the transition towards a zero-emission fleet.”
The consultation will run until Wednesday 2 December 2026.
