Uber Black Luxury Ride Tier for Premium Customers Reintroduced in India

Uber has reintroduced the Uber Black category of rideshares in India, starting with Mumbai. Promising an “elevated ride experience with top-tier cars and drivers”, Uber Black and Uber Black Rentals are already available in the city as options when searching for rides on certain routes. The company says it has brought Black back based on growing demand for more premium rides. This comes after Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said "[Indians] are so demanding and do not pay for anything" earlier this year. 

The high-end ride category was previously offered when Uber launched here in 2013, letting users book rides in Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi vehicles, but was phased out in 2014 as the company pivoted to more affordable options for its growing user base.

Uber Black will give riders additional amenities and in-app controls. The company promises “brand new, higher-end cars” for comfort and ride quality, top-rated drivers who have received special training, and in-car amenities. Riders will be able to send requests to the driver in advance, such as setting the car’s cabin temperature and choosing to ride in silence. Drivers will help with luggage and provide more professional service.

The company expects corporate travellers to choose Uber Black, calling it “the business class of back seats”. A five-minute pickup extension before waiting fees are incurred will give riders more flexibility in choosing where and how to meet their drivers.

Interestingly, the Uber app in Mumbai showed Uber Black rides at lower prices than the base-level Uber Go tier when searching for some routes at the time of publication, although longer wait times were indicated. For example, one ride from a South Mumbai address to the suburb of Bandra showed a charge of Rs. 515.55 for Uber Go vs Rs. 466.45 for Uber Black (Rs. 518.28 before an automatically applied 25 percent discount). Uber Go Sedan for the same route was listed at Rs. 520.46 while Uber Premier, Uber XL and Uber Green were priced at Rs. 607.44, Rs. 702.25 and Rs. 613.44 respectively.

It was not clear before booking which models of cars are eligible for the revived Uber Black tier. Cars can also be booked by the hour using the Uber Black Rentals option. 

Uber currently operates in 125 Indian cities and says it has served over 3 billion trips across ride types since its launch here in 2013. The company offers public transportation and shuttle bus booking and two-wheeler rides in addition to cab sharing.