Following the news that its competitor Lyft plans to use autonomous electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, Uber is launching a pilot program — called EV Champions Initiative — where Uber drivers accrue perks for driving EVs

The initiative, which began this week in seven cities throughout the United States and Canada — including Austin, Texas, Los Angeles, Montreal, Sacramento, California, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle — aims to "deliver at least 5 million EV rides over the next year."

"This program builds off the success of existing pilots in Pittsburgh and Portland and we’re proud to team up with experts who have decades of experience in EV adoption. Together, we hope to better equip both plug-in electric and full battery electric vehicle drivers for success," said Adam Gromis, Uber global lead for sustainability and environmental impact, in a statement.

While many an Uber driver in both the U.S. and Canada has expressed interest in using EVs to transport customers, they have also expressed concern about time and fares lost to charging the vehicles, as well as the difficulty locating nearby charging stations.

The goal of the initiative is to address those concerns by offering to give drivers up-to-date information about EV resources, as well as direct monetary incentives in some of those cities. Additionally, EV drivers will also have access to app features specific to EV drivers, including 30 minute trip notifications for car-charging purposes.

Hoping to reduce the climate footprint of traffic, the company aims to “facilitate access to more sustainable transportation and work towards solutions that can improve our lifestyles and our cities."