Uber driver’s wedding motivation

This story first appeared in the November issue of EVtalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

Greg Kent is saving so much using his Nissan Leaf for his Uber work that he’s paying for his December wedding and planning to buy a house in Auckland.
The 22-year-old EV fan, who also works as an Auckland cinema attendant, crunched the numbers before buying a 2014 Nissan Leaf through GVI about five months ago.

Since then he’s clocked up 81,000km, expects to pay off his $15,000 car loan next year and pay for his wedding here to his Indonesian fiancé Ismi.

The North Shore resident has been working as an Uber driver for about six months, starting with a 1.3-litre Mazda2 Demio.

“I was spending about $250-$300 a week on gas, with servicing adding another $100 every few months,” Kent says.

“So, it was quite expensive, even though I had a small car.”
Kent did some research after hearing about EVs and learned he could save about $300 a week.

He also liked the fact they’re more environmentally friendly than a conventional vehicle.

He got talking to a finance broker who was a passenger and arranged a loan which he hopes to pay off by June.

GVI arranged the car for about $20,000. Kent had it repainted for about $600 in mainly black with a blue roof to match its blue wheels and badge.

“Blue stands for electricity and I wanted to make it distinctive,” he says.
The Autech version has a body kit, tinted windows, LED daytime running lights and a classy interior to help provide a more luxury look that he wanted to appeal to passengers.

It has his name on the registration plates and his first name and an Uber logo, which glows at night, fixed on his windscreen.

Charging the Leaf overnight at his rented home costs about $35 a week and he usually tops up at a free Auckland city fast-charger one or twice a day, depending on use.

Although Kent doesn’t need to have the Leaf serviced as often as his previous car, he likes to have regular safety checks and to ensure the car is in tip-top condition. He cleans it himself.

Most of his work is between the North Shore and the central city with Kent using smartphone apps to be in contact with clients and record data such as hours, fees, costs, mileage and even when breaks are due.

He transports about 150 people a week.

Comments are invited and nearly all are positive and appreciative – Kent has a 4.76 average rating out of five.

One of the first things passengers mention is the car’s quietness. That’s handy too if he chats to passengers (he usually fits in three or four at a time) or there’s a singalong to tunes from another app.

“You need a sense of humour,” Kent says.
Had any difficulties?

“No majors,” Kent says.
A forward and rear facing in-car camera provides a safety feature and because passenger payment is cashless, it’s pointless trying to rob a Uber driver.
Kent did run out of battery juice once while part-way home but made it safely with assistance.

Any issues can quickly be reported.
He uses the car’s “eco” mode and B mode much of the time and says the frequent use seems to help.

With a 24kW battery he expects to get about 150km range in suburban areas and about 120km on the open road.

“I tried it from the North Shore to Hamilton and got there on one charge.”
One tip for people who spend any length of time behind the wheel: “I use a lumbar support, which cost $30, to help with posture.”

Kent likes many aspects of owning the Leaf, including its roominess, especially as he’s around 1.92 metres tall. He can fit comfortably and rear-seat passengers still have plenty of leg and headroom.

“The Leaf is cheap to run and the ride is smooth,” he says.
“It’s the future.”