Uber just put in an order for 100,000 Mercedes sedans

[Mook]

I'm gonna uber everywhere now. Make it look like I'm important as fuck.

Uber Has Apparently Ordered $10 Billion Worth of Mercedes S-Class Sedans

On-demand ride-hailing app Uber's whole claim to fame is its purported ability to undercut the prices of your local taxi service. Of course, there are upmarket options if you're feeling fancy, like UberBLACK, which charges more for a roomier, more luxurious ride. But according to a report, Uber might be planning on going way, way fancier, by purchasing one hundred thousand examples of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury sedan.

Reuters reports that Uber has placed a long-term order with Daimler to the tune of "at least 100,000" S-Class sedans. That, fair reader, is a car that costs something like $100,000 each, making this potentially a $10 billion deal.

Of course, Uber is probably able to take advantage of some kind of fleet pricing incentive, but still—even if the ride-hailing startup is getting the cars at $50,000 (or nearly half price), that still totals out to a $5 billion agreement.

Which leads to a question: Just exactly what does Uber see in all these Mercedes sedans? Reuters indicates that Uber has been shopping around intending to place a large order for fully-autonomous cars; this report from German news outlet Der Spiegel mentions that Uber founder Travis Kalanick was interested solely in self-driving cars. With that said, the Mercedes flagship is only capable of short stints of semi-autonomous driving at this moment; it's projected that a fully autonomous vehicle won't be ready until at least 2020, whether it's built by Mercedes or another automaker. A timeline for the alleged 100,000-car purchase has not been revealed, though it's assumed that the agreement covers several small-scale purchases over a stretch of time. Mercedes currently sells about 100,000 S-Class sedans annually.

The transaction was revealed to German news source Manager Magazin by sources at both Uber and Daimler, but neither company was willing to comment to Reuters on the matter, although the original Reuters report now contains an update from a different inside source denying that the deal has been reached.

Uber's interest in fully-autonomous vehicles is easy to understand: Despite its astounding market valuation, Uber has never turned a profit, burning through money at an astonishing rate. Eliminating human drivers would remove Uber's only real cost, paying its contract drivers. Hence why founder Kalanik famously said he'd buy every car Tesla made if they were fully autonomous.

Until then, don't be surprised if you hail an Uber and a brand-new S-Class arrives.

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[Bruce Jibboo]

It's not the car it's the drivers, last sat night the guy was from Iraq and was telling me about the deaths he witnessed and all about religion, I put my headphones on and cracked a beer and was sure he didn't deviate from the appropriate route

 

[rdsnake]

Wish Uber was on the stock market. Id invest a ton of cash into it.

 

[boostedguy05]

ive never ubered.

 

[Bru]

Better have the optional rear massaging seats.

 

[Dan00Hawk]

I've been driving for Uber about 2 nights per month, just to earn some extra spending money. If I don't have any plans on a Fri or Sat night, I figure I can go out and earn $20-$100 over the course of 2-5 hours of driving in the suburbs. I stay away from Chicago unless that's a passenger's destination.

I haven't had any issues with customers or complaints. Never had anyone mess up my car or given me any problems. I've given 87 rides since August, and I've currently got a 4.95 rating. If you end up with a poor driver, a poorly maintained car, or an overall bad experience, then give the driver a low rating and share feedback with Uber. That can get the driver removed or help them to improve. Also, drivers can give disrespectful or bad passengers a low rating to weed out passengers that are jerks. I've used the services as a passenger, and have had mostly good drivers and just one that was clueless.

If anyone is interested in becoming a part or full time driver, feel free to ask me some questions. I can even give you a referral code that will reward both of us with $150 after your first 20 trips.

 

[sickmint79]

why do you avoid chicago - don't you get the best surge amounts and frequency there - and isn't that really part of the game to get money?

it would seem a lot smarter to me to buy some standard boring people movers, like a camry or an accord, and this is a time when electric charge times can be hidden from the user (just buy more cars) - so a good option for a mostly or fully electric fleet. i believe benz has been in the autonomous game longer than most and arguably has the most advanced commercial system, but any system is still subject to all sorts of problems with road conditions, weather conditions, human conditions, and the legal liability questions that still surround this as well. didn't the google car just hit another car recently too?

 

[Bruce Jibboo]

Uber is way better than cabs IMHO, almost 1/2 the price, except when you find uber drivers that were obviously previous hardened cab drivers or drivers that talk too much (about bullshit like religion)

The worst cab experience I had was a cab driver that either didn't speak english at all, was under the influence of something, or very maliciously trying to take the scenic route x10. Had to call the cops, the cops had to pull this dumb mofo over and completed the rest of my ride in the squad

 

[sickmint79]

oh wow, that's wild. how many uber rides have you done?

i've done quite a few, US and many other countries, never had anything that bad. i am annoyed when dudes don't seem to know how to use gps, or ask me for any info or directions or landmarks or references, etc. this probably doesn't happen in the US much but happened to me just yesterday in UAE, happened in the philippines too.

i think it's cheaper than cabs - if you are at normal rates. at surge rates, not so much. i know the cheapest here is a government set taxi, although without surge they are probably pretty competitive rates. in dubai in particular though getting one of those taxis is tough, so there are private taxis (all white lexus es) - many of whom are using uber as well (or similar apps) - it's definitely more than a standard taxi. it's nicer, but really what you're paying for is the fact that one of them will come pick you up under supply/demand surge pricing. i spent 10 or 15 minutes yesterday trying to hail down a regular cab and was unable to. uber... guy in 6 minutes. 2.2x normal fare though.... luckily down from the 2.8 earlier.

as a side note, dubai also has a slider option for... uberchopper

 

[Dan00Hawk]

why do you avoid chicago - don't you get the best surge amounts and frequency there - and isn't that really part of the game to get money?

it would seem a lot smarter to me to buy some standard boring people movers, like a camry or an accord, and this is a time when electric charge times can be hidden from the user (just buy more cars) - so a good option for a mostly or fully electric fleet. i believe benz has been in the autonomous game longer than most and arguably has the most advanced commercial system, but any system is still subject to all sorts of problems with road conditions, weather conditions, human conditions, and the legal liability questions that still surround this as well. didn't the google car just hit another car recently too?

I live in Plainfield, so the dead time and miles driving to the near north side of Chicago where it's typically busy isn't worth it for me. It's also easier and safer driving in the less congested suburbs. Plus, the rides I do get in the suburbs are longer distances and higher fares. I don't do as many rides as a city driver, but my hourly pay ends up being similar. Surge is tough for a driver to capitalize on unless you happen to be in the surge zone already. There too soon? Then you miss the surge rate. Heading over there when you see the surge? So are a ton of other Uber drivers. So it's hit or miss if you get a good surge fair that is a long enough ride to be worth the multiplier.

I have friends that stick to the city driving though, and that works for them. It's just not my preference.

 

[Bruce Jibboo]

looks like around 70 uber rides, mostly nights out where the pregame is strong and not tryin to risk it or leave my car overnight, or the ride back. I've done midway once after they permitted it and its around double price vs gas + midway parking.

 

[Bruce Jibboo]

Oh and the one time a cab shot up during the ride like it was nothing, I talked to medical friends and it wasn't insulin, he used a rubber band shot whatever it was in his vein. Both these incidents were in Schaumburg

 

[TheMoth]

Wish Uber was on the stock market. Id invest a ton of cash into it.

Rumored to go public in q3. But still a rumor.

 

[TheMoth]

I use this service a lot. Cheaper and cleaner than cabs.

 

[Bruce Jibboo]

clearly new years eve is surge, but what else causes that surge condition? supply and demand in certain areas at certain times?

 

[TheMoth]

Oh and the one time a cab shot up during the ride like it was nothing, I talked to medical friends and it wasn't insulin, he used a rubber band shot whatever it was in his vein. Both these incidents were in Schaumburg

Geez, that's crazy

 

[Bruce Jibboo]

He didn't seem to start nodding off but I was watching for something like that and thus worrying about serious injury or death and killed my buzz We were on golf doing 50 through the forest preserve west of barrington road when he did it

The guy couldn't work the cc machine and eventually I bailed out of the car and called the cab company to explain the whole situation. Slightly worried about retaliation for a couple days because obviously he knew where I lived and probably got called in for a drug test.

 

[TheMoth]

He didn't seem to start nodding off but I was watching for something like that and thus worrying about serious injury or death and killed my buzz We were on golf doing 50 through the forest preserve west of barrington road when he did it

The guy couldn't work the cc machine and eventually I bailed out of the car and called the cab company to explain the whole situation. Slightly worried about retaliation for a couple days because obviously he knew where I lived and probably got called in for a drug test.

Crazy, at least you made it safely. Cabbies come in very type of person. Wonder how they get their job in the first place

 

[sickmint79]

I live in Plainfield, so the dead time and miles driving to the near north side of Chicago where it's typically busy isn't worth it for me. It's also easier and safer driving in the less congested suburbs. Plus, the rides I do get in the suburbs are longer distances and higher fares. I don't do as many rides as a city driver, but my hourly pay ends up being similar. Surge is tough for a driver to capitalize on unless you happen to be in the surge zone already. There too soon? Then you miss the surge rate. Heading over there when you see the surge? So are a ton of other Uber drivers. So it's hit or miss if you get a good surge fair that is a long enough ride to be worth the multiplier.

I have friends that stick to the city driving though, and that works for them. It's just not my preference.

how is it in the winter? last winter i was going snow tire equipped wrx and hoping it snowed like crazy, so i could have fun driving people around under crazy surges. i guess it's been unseasonably warm but have there been any good winter nights?

i had 4 tix on my record at the time, maybe 1 now, but they won't let you drive if you have more than 3 in 3 years as a hard rule. which imho is kinda lame, especially considering some of the other people they have let drive. nonetheless i nver did it. i thought lyft accepted me, but when i went to do my trial drive, it said i was ineligible - after my and the lyft trainer drove out to meet, totally stupid. do you drive for lyft or sidecar too? do you use just one phone or juggle multiple? what's your average hourly rate after expenses, if ya don't mind sharing?

 

[sickmint79]

clearly new years eve is surge, but what else causes that surge condition? supply and demand in certain areas at certain times?

i think most evenings and particularly weekends there is surge. it really is just supply and demand though. if not enough supply is rising they up the surge amount to encourage more people to go out and drive. that's why i was hoping winter tires + wrx + snowstorm = sickmint79 $50/hr taxi yeehaw

 

[sickmint79]

Crazy, at least you made it safely. Cabbies come in very type of person. Wonder how they get their job in the first place

kill the old cabbie then wear his face so you don't have to change the ID

 

[TonzKnock-G]

Surge is a bitch. Took a uber to my daughters school at 1.5x surge and cost me 18$. Next time I took a cab and cost me 10$.

 

[SHARKBITEATTACK]

Uber is awesome. I've used it a handful of times in the States and while traveling in Europe. Always been happy.

 

[Dan00Hawk]

how is it in the winter? last winter i was going snow tire equipped wrx and hoping it snowed like crazy, so i could have fun driving people around under crazy surges. i guess it's been unseasonably warm but have there been any good winter nights?

i had 4 tix on my record at the time, maybe 1 now, but they won't let you drive if you have more than 3 in 3 years as a hard rule. which imho is kinda lame, especially considering some of the other people they have let drive. nonetheless i nver did it. i thought lyft accepted me, but when i went to do my trial drive, it said i was ineligible - after my and the lyft trainer drove out to meet, totally stupid. do you drive for lyft or sidecar too? do you use just one phone or juggle multiple? what's your average hourly rate after expenses, if ya don't mind sharing?

I've got winter tires on my Jetta, and I went out in one of our few "snow events". It was fun, but not a lot of people were out. Either driving or requesting rides, at least in the Naperville area. Some of the passengers were encouraging me to slide the car around, which made it entertaining at least. Not a huge money night, though.

I only drive for Uber. I don't do it often enough to consider driving for other companies, and therefore I only use my one personal phone. My typical hourly rate after expenses is in the $10-$20 per hour range, after fuel costs. This is just for driving from about 10pm to 2am on a Fri or Sat night.

If your driving record is better now, give it a shot with Uber. Here is my invite code to get you started: https://get.uber.com/drive/?invite_code=g3zypkyvm

 

[sickmint79]

Surge is a bitch. Took a uber to my daughters school at 1.5x surge and cost me 18$. Next time I took a cab and cost me 10$.

1.5 bruh yer barely surgin'!

my minimum in dubai was 2.2. i backed out of a 2.3 and wouldn't take the 2.8. i believe surge in more extreme times and areas has gone to 8+ although uber got yelled at a lot for stupid people that apparently had no idea what was going on with the app, so since then i think they 1. make you type in the number once it gets high enough so your stupid head acknowledges it and 2. i think they've backed off the more extreme multipliers (maybe)

in UAE there is a local copy called careem. i met a guy in dubai for rocket internet who is not liked in the US but does stuff all over the world elsewhere - they appear to just take successful US apps and try to copy them regionally.

on one hand kind of lame if you did something like come up with uber, on the other hand i like the competition to keep prices from getting crazier. i'd be super annoyed at rocket guys copying my app in a market that is not exactly competitive for consumers like taxi service though.