San Francisco: Uber Technologies has announced that it will invest more than $100 million to develop autonomous vehicle charging hubs, highlighting the company’s push to expand its self-driving operations.
The plan includes building DC fast-charging stations at Uber’s autonomous vehicle depots, where its fleets operate daily, as well as at strategic pit stops across priority cities. The initiative will start in the US, with the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Dallas as the first locations, before expanding to additional cities.
Uber has made autonomous vehicles a central part of its growth strategy, partnering with over 20 firms globally for self-driving freight, delivery, and taxi services. The company faces competition from rivals like Tesla as it works to secure market share in the rapidly evolving autonomous mobility sector.
To support its expansion, Uber is partnering with charge point operators in key markets through ‘utilization guarantee agreements.’ Partners include EVgo in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Boston; Electra in Paris and Madrid; and Hubber and Ionity in London. These agreements are expected to facilitate the rollout of hundreds of chargers in high-demand areas.
Earlier this month, Uber reinforced its early-stage autonomous vehicle strategy by committing capital to vehicle partners to secure early supply and accelerate fleet deployments.
The company currently offers robotaxis on its ride-hailing platform in four US cities, as well as in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh, working alongside autonomous vehicle firms including Waymo and China’s WeRide.
This investment underscores Uber’s determination to scale self-driving operations and strengthen its position in the competitive autonomous vehicle market.
