Uber Technologies and Banco Santander announced a new financing platform that will provide up to €1 billion in funding to support the expansion of Uber’s vehicle fleet across Europe, with a particular focus on autonomous mobility initiatives.
The platform is designed to offer competitive, scalable financing for fleet operators in key European markets. It will help partners renew and upgrade their vehicles, operate more efficiently, and continue meeting strong rider demand, while laying important groundwork for Uber’s autonomous vehicle expansion strategy across the continent.
Uber has outlined plans to launch autonomous vehicles in the United Kingdom and Germany in 2026, with trials underway in London and Munich. The financing will also support recent partnerships with Pony.ai and Verne, which are deploying robotaxi services in Zagreb, Croatia, and other European cities.
Santander, a leading auto‑finance provider in Europe through its Consumer Finance division, is expanding its reach by partnering with Uber. The collaboration aligns with Santander’s broader strategy to deepen its presence in the mobility finance sector, following a €900 million financing agreement with the European Investment Bank earlier in 2026.
"Through this collaboration with Santander, we are expanding access to competitive, scalable financing for fleet operators across key European markets. This initiative will help our partners renew and upgrade their vehicles, operate more efficiently, and continue meeting strong rider demand. It also lays important groundwork for our autonomous vehicle expansion strategy across Europe," said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber.
"Santander is delighted to support Uber in this next step of growth. By expanding access to financing for professional fleet operators across European markets, this collaboration will support growth and service quality at scale. Uber has built a highly successful platform, and it is great to be working with Dara and his team on this important initiative," said Ana Botín, Executive Chair of Santander.
The announcement was positively received by investors, reflecting confidence in Uber’s European expansion plans and Santander’s strategic partnership in the evolving mobility finance landscape.
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