An Uber driver in Los Angeles reportedly doubled her tips after switching from a Toyota Camry to a Tesla Model 3.
Heidi Barnes, who made the switch a few months ago, said she made $2,600 in tips compared to between $800 and $1,000 she would usually get in a 25-day period.
Usually, I’m lucky to get $1 to $3 tips but it’s now $10 or $15, sometimes consecutively… they’re a lot more generous. (via Business Insider)
Barnes switched to the Model 3 as gas prices started to spike around the United States. As she is in California, the gas price spike hit especially hard. Some gas stations in the state hit $6.20 per gallon, which cut into any profits for Barnes.
When it cost $100 to fill up her Camry’s tank, she decided to jump to electric.
Barnes took advantage of an excellent leasing program through Uber that allowed her access to a Model 3 at an affordable rate. Uber partnered with Tesla and Hertz to provide affordable lease options for Uber drivers looking to make the switch. The program that launched in October 2021 has almost 15,000 drivers already in it.
In addition to Barnes’s lease program, she also gets a $1 per ride zero-emission incentive, which helps the bottom line.
Including the lease and charging for the Model 3, Barnes’s cost is around $450 a month. In comparison, fuel for her Toyota Corolla cost her $600 alone per month.
