Uber has set out plans to double the size of its Uber Black fleet across India by 2026, sharpening its focus on high-end mobility as demand rises for chauffeur-driven premium cars among business travellers and affluent urban commuters. The expansion is being paired with targeted investments in technology and supply partners, including Carrum, and the rollout of an enhanced Reserve feature designed to lock in advance bookings with greater reliability.The company said the move reflects sustained growth in premium ride-hailing, particularly in large metros where airport transfers, corporate travel and long-duration bookings are increasingly shifting towards higher-priced, service-led offerings. Uber Black, positioned above Uber Premier, operates with luxury sedans and SUVs, professionally trained drivers and stricter service standards, and is seen internally as a strategic lever to improve margins in a cost-sensitive market.
Executives familiar with the plan said the fleet expansion would be phased, with priority given to cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Hyderabad before extending to other high-income urban clusters. The growth will rely on a mix of new vehicle onboarding and deeper partnerships with fleet operators rather than individual drivers, a model Uber believes is better suited to premium services that require consistent quality control and predictable availability.
A central element of the strategy is Uber’s collaboration with Carrum, a mobility and fleet management platform that focuses on electric and high-end vehicles. Carrum’s role is expected to include vehicle sourcing, maintenance oversight and driver management, reducing operational friction for Uber while ensuring that Uber Black standards are met. Industry observers note that such partnerships allow ride-hailing platforms to scale premium categories without absorbing the capital burden of owning or directly managing vehicles.
Alongside the fleet push, Uber is expanding its Reserve feature for Uber Black, allowing riders to book trips hours or days in advance with fixed pricing and confirmed vehicle allocation. The company says this is particularly relevant for airport runs, early-morning departures and high-stakes business travel, where certainty matters more than dynamic pricing discounts. The updated Reserve option is also intended to address a common criticism of premium ride-hailing in India: inconsistent availability during peak hours.
The push into premium mobility comes at a time when competition in the mass-market ride-hailing segment remains intense and margins are under pressure from fuel costs, incentives and regulatory scrutiny. By contrast, Uber Black trips generate higher per-ride revenue and tend to attract repeat users with lower price sensitivity. Analysts tracking the sector say this makes premium categories attractive despite their smaller overall volume.
However, scaling Uber Black is not without challenges. Luxury vehicles carry higher acquisition and maintenance costs, and driver training standards are stricter. There is also the question of whether demand can keep pace with a rapid increase in supply beyond the largest metros. Uber executives argue that rising incomes, corporate travel recovery and changing consumer expectations around comfort and reliability support the business case.
The company’s broader India strategy has increasingly emphasised differentiated services rather than pure volume growth. Over the past few years, Uber has introduced intercity products, rentals, electric vehicle options and subscription-style passes aimed at improving unit economics. Uber Black fits into this portfolio as a brand-building product that reinforces Uber’s presence across multiple price tiers.
Fleet operators, for their part, see opportunity in the expansion. Several premium fleet owners say guaranteed demand through a global platform reduces utilisation risk, while predictable earnings from advance bookings make financing luxury vehicles more viable. Some operators are also betting that Uber’s data and routing capabilities can help optimise downtime, a key concern in high-value fleets.
From a regulatory standpoint, premium ride-hailing has generally faced fewer constraints than budget categories, though operators must still comply with state transport rules on commercial vehicle permits, driver licensing and fare transparency. Uber has said it is working closely with local authorities to ensure compliance as the Uber Black fleet grows.