Australia’s Green Divide: Uber Green Bridges Aspiration with Fully Electric Rides

Eco News
July 9, 2025
6 Min Read

Cost and convenience identified as key barriers to Australia’s green adoption

Emotional impact and Australia’s State-by-State battle for sustainable living revealed

Findings released as Uber Green campaign launch reunites a trio of True Blue iconic Aussies

Uber has transitioned its Uber Green product to a fully electric rideshare option since April this year, marking a major milestone as Uber commits to an all-electric future that is better for riders, drivers, and cities. More than 1 in 20km trips taken are electric rides on Uber, with a 30% year-on-year increase in the number of EV drivers (Q12025). This shift directly responds to new research findings that reveal a strong desire among Australians for sustainable living, a desire often hindered by the practical barriers of cost and, crucially, convenience.

New research commissioned by Uber reveals a clear disconnect between Australians’ environmental intentions and their everyday practices.

Price and Practicality: The Real Green Barriers

Research findings highlight that cost remains the number one barrier to living more sustainably, cited by over 40% of the general population.

Convenience is equally critical. A significant 65% of individuals admit to choosing less environmentally friendly options due to perceived inconvenience. This trend is particularly pronounced among younger demographics, with a striking 83% of Gen Z (ages 13-28) making this trade-off, versus 57% of Boomers (ages 61-79).

While cost and convenience remain common barriers to more sustainable choices, choosing an electric ridesharing option is seen by 75% of respondents as an accessible, sustainable action.

Removing barriers to sustainable choices with fully electric rides
More sustainable choices often come with emotional complexity. While 28% of Australians are proud of the actions they take to be “greener”, nearly 23% experience guilt, driven by trade-offs around cost and convenience.

Uber continues to be focused on helping more driver partners transition to EVs by doubling down on the second-hand EV market in Australia. Drivers partners can access second-hand EVs through our partners, including Splend and Car Empire. With this expanded access, we’ve seen more than 30% increase in the number of EV drivers since the same time last year, with BYD, Polestar, Kia, Tesla and MG being the most popular EV brands on the Uber platform.

The State of Australia’s Green Play
While Aussies enjoy a friendly competition, when it comes to vying for environmental conscientiousness, it’s Western Australia (WA) that truly leads the charge with an average green rating of 7.29. New South Wales (NSW) follows closely at 6.99, both outperforming Queensland (QLD) at 6.86.

Furthermore, WA and Victoria (VIC) residents have shown the most significant increase in their focus on sustainability this year, highlighting regional variations in response to economic and environmental influences.

While Australians rate their personal environmental impact at 6.79 out of 10, it is clear that practical barriers like cost and convenience often get in the way. The average rating for balancing affordability and sustainability is rated 5.76/10, leaning towards affordability.

Emma Foley, Managing Director of Uber Australia & New Zealand, noted, “I’m proud that Uber Green has transitioned to a fully electric rideshare option – with 1 in 20km trips now taken in an electric vehicle. As we continue working towards an all-electric future, it’s important we bring Aussies along for the ride. What better way to celebrate our fully electric Uber Green than by reuniting the iconic True Blue Aussie trio to show just how ‘common sense’ it should be to make that electric switch.”

Uber Green? That’s True Blue!

Uber has launched a brand new creative campaign that reunites an iconic Aussie trio for the first time in over 25 years to mark the shift to a fully electric Uber Green.

Watch the launch film, featuring Michael Caton, Stephen Curry and Anthony Simcoe HERE.

The shift to an all-electric future is accelerating, and Uber is committed to leading the charge. What was once just a vision is now reality: greener rides will continue to be more accessible than ever. Uber Green rides are available in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Canberra.

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