FREE NOW reports huge surge in ‘ECO booking’ requests as demand for EV taxi trips in Ireland grow
Updated: May 15, 2022
FREE NOW has reported a mammoth 630% increase in demand for its Irish ECO booking service in the first quarter of 2022.
Launched in major cities across Ireland last year, the ECO booking option allows passengers to choose more sustainable transport options by selecting a hybrid or electric taxi on the app at no extra cost.
The initiative forms part of FREE NOW’s ambition of achieving 50% fully electric vehicle rides by 2025 and to be the first mobility platform in Europe to reach Net-Zero emissions by 2030.
In late April 2022, FREE NOW also announced that it has added over 600 EVs to its fleet since the start of 2021 and a third of the fleet is now electric or hybrid compared to 24% in 2022. FREE NOW expects to have 1,120 EVs on the road by the end of 2022.
It’s not only passengers driving the demand for more eco-friendly transport. Recent research of FREE NOW drivers reveals that of those that currently drive a hybrid or EV, 41% made the switch for environmental reasons while 37% made the switch due to cheaper running costs. In addition, 70% of driver partners say they are in favour of increased electrification of taxi fleets to help the sector reach its carbon reduction goal.
Fiona Brady, FREE NOW’s Head of Public Affairs and Operations, said: “Since launching our ECO booking option last year, we have seen a significant increase in demand for this service in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. This surge in bookings is driven by the increased availability of hybrid and EV vehicles on our app as well as the continued growing demand for more sustainable options from our passengers.
“Supporting the national effort to develop a more sustainable transport system across Ireland is a crucial part of our agenda and the success of the ECO booking and the increased electrification of our fleet is another milestone in helping us reach our sustainability targets.
“We are also working closely with our driver partners to support them in making the switch to electric. Last year we invested 6 million euro to help taxi drivers across the country purchase home chargers for EVs and this year we are hosting EV roadshows across the country to educate drivers on the benefits of switching to electric.”
