Uber Drivers Should Think Twice About Used Nissan Leafs

Uber and Car Empire have announced that they are partnering to offer Uber drivers and Uber Eats delivery people in Brisbane and the Gold Coast finance deals on pre owned Nissan Leaf electric cars imported from Japan.

Are Used Nissan Leafs a Good Choice for Uber Drivers?

Ant Day a LEAF owner and AEVA WA member remarked upon this news at the Nissan LEAF Owners Australia group:

"Unfortunately the Leaf is not fit for this purpose, this is a really questionable decision by Uber".

"In order to cover the range that a full time Uber driver does on a daily basis, around 350km, really only the e+ is suitable. Then there is rapidgate which will limit how many times you can fast charge in a day."

"I'm a Leaf fan because it is an affordable city car (second hand / imports only) below $20k . But CHAdeMO, rapidgate will make Leafs unsuitable for this purpose."

CHAdeMO is the type of charging port used by Nissan Leaf electric cars.

CHAdeMO public fast charging fast charger facilities are being slowly phased out in Australia, as the vast majority of Australian EVs use the CCS 2 charging port standard.

Rapidgate is an issue that plagues Leaf owners who DC fast charge more than once per day, especially if done two or three times. This causes the car to charge very slowly because Nissan didn't design it to use active battery cooling.

▶️MORE: Uber EVs: What to consider for electric rideshare cars

Second Hand Nissan Leaf Finance Deal Details

Car Empire is a pre-owned car dealership specialising in electric vehicles with a supply arrangement to import second hand EVs from Japan.

As part of this initial program, they are offering used Nissan Leaf EVs to Uber drivers and delivery people, with financing options available for $124 per week, inclusive of a three-year warranty and roadside assistance.

Once behind the wheel of a pre-owned Nissan Leaf, Uber drivers and Uber Eats delivery people will be:

• eligible for discounts on EV charging available via the Uber Pro program,
• able to complete both Uber X and Uber Green trips but interestingly not the more lucrative Comfort Electric level of trip

Emma Foley, Managing Director of Uber Australia and New Zealand commented:

"Uber has committed to eliminating vehicle emissions across its platform by 2040, and since 2021 has helped bring down the costs of driving an EV on the Uber platform - from halving their service fees to vehicle partnerships and discounted public charging".

As a result, Uber has seen EV uptake on the Uber platform outpace that of the general population by a factor of four, which is particularly impactful considering an EV on a rideshare platform realises four times the emissions savings compared to private ownership.

However, despite making up 8.5% of new car sales, EVs make up only 0.6% of Australia’s second hand car market currently according to the Electric Vehicle Council and Australian Automotive Dealer Association.

David Cosgrove, Director of Car Empire commented:

"The Australian market for used electric vehicles is currently quite limited. However, Car Empire, through strategic partnerships, has the unique capability to access a substantial volume of quality used EVs in Japan and import them into Australia. This not only provides consumers with a broader selection but also contributes positively to reducing emissions across the country."