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On August 21, Uber hiredTeslaFormer executive Rebecca Tinucci is in chargeElectrificationTransformation, she helped Tesla open its charging network to other car brands.

According to an internal announcement from Uber, Tinucci will begin serving as the company's global head of sustainability on September 16, reporting directly to Andrew Macdonald, the executive in charge of the company's ride-hailing business.

In this new role, Tinucci will be responsible for overseeing Uber's transition to a zero-emission platform. The company's goal is to complete all trips and deliveries globally using zero-emission vehicles by 2040. In addition, Uber is committed to eliminating unnecessary plastic waste in food delivery and using more sustainable packaging materials.

In an email to employees, McDonald said Tinucci’s experience “will be of tremendous value to our team at Uber.”

During his time at Tesla, Tinucci brokered charging station partnerships with automakers including Rivian, Ford and General Motors. These partnerships allowed owners of other brands to use Tesla's proprietary network of Supercharger stations, expanding the company's revenue stream.

Alan Wexler, GM’s senior vice president of strategy and innovation, who worked with DiNucci on the charging deal, said: “Rebecca is a very effective leader. Thanks to her and her team’s efforts,Electric VehiclesVehicle owners can now gain broader access to reliable and renewable charging services.”

At the same time, Uber is also working withElectric VehiclesThe company is partnering with carmakers, charging network providers and cities to make it easier and cheaper for millions of ride-hailing drivers and couriers to switch to electric vehicles.

The transition has not been smooth sailing. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi warned earlier this year that the company might not achieve its goals as expected. To boost the effort, Uber recently announced a partnership with BYD to deploy 100,000 electric vehicles in markets outside the United States. Uber also led a $6.5 million seed round in itselectric, a New York startup that plans to deploy roadside charging systems across the United States this year.

Uber plans to achieve its zero-emission goal in cities in the United States, Canada and Europe by 2030, and has set a global goal for 2040. At present, the company still has a long way to go in this regard. Uber said that as of the end of the first quarter of this year, 8.2% of online ride-hailing trips in the United States and Canada were completed by zero-emission vehicles, while the figure in Europe was 9%.

While at Tesla, Tinucci led the roughly 500-person Supercharging team, which was slashed as part of a broader layoff by CEO Elon Musk. Those layoffs came after poor first-quarter sales, a move that came as a surprise as Tesla had built an enviable charging business.

Just a year before the layoffs, DiNucci had been one of only two female executives on stage with Musk at Tesla's investor day event. Although Tesla rehired some members of DiNucci's team within weeks, she did not return.

Tesla has also emerged as a potential competitor to Uber amid investor concerns that Tesla's planned self-driving taxi prototype, which Musk is expected to show at an event in October, could threaten Uber's business model of picking up passengers with freelance drivers.

Khosrowshahi isn't worried. He said in an earnings call in August that Uber will be an "indispensable partner" for all self-driving car manufacturers.

In a statement, Tinucci said Uber is at the heart of several technologies that will "accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future."

“Electric vehicles, autonomous driving and robotics have the potential to significantly reduce our overall emissions,” she said. “Uber is well positioned to act as an accelerator in this transition.”