Electric Black Cab overtakes Diesel Taxi in London
London Now Has More Electrified Black Cabs Than Diesel Taxis
LEVC's TX extended-range EV now makes up more than 40 percent of all black cabs in London. 6,000 of their vehicles are now operating in the city.
A symbol of London and the UK, the black cab or hackney carriage is evolving with the times, and has been for a while. London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), the leading player in the city's taxi market, has been selling the TX range-extended electric black cab since 2018.
The fact there are now more LEVC TX electrified taxis on the streets of London than diesel TX4s is highly significant in terms of electric vehicles paving the way for sustainability.
This LEVC TX taxi fleet supports the UK capital's transition to a clean, green EV black cab fleet. The company has calculated that the TX extended-range electric taxi has travelled more than 534 million miles globally and prevented 162,000 tonnes of CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere, since it was introduced in 2018.
"We are witnessing a significant tipping point in the push towards cleaner transportation, with the TX overtaking the diesel-powered TX4 as the cab of choice in London … With each new TX on the road, we are preventing thousands of tonnes of harmful emissions, helping to create healthier and happier cities,” said Alex Nan, CEO of LEVC.
At London Taxi Advertising, this comes as welcome, and unsurprising news as we’ve been watching the evolution of London’s taxi scene since EVs were introduced into the UK.
The LEVC:
The taxi drives in full-electric mode all the time, with a 110-kilowatt (148-horsepower) electric motor driving the rear wheels.The motor is powered by a 33-kilowatt-hour battery pack supplied by LG Chem, which is recharged by an 81-hp 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine acting as a generator.
The LEVC TX features flexible space for up to six passengers, and is the only taxi of its kind that can accommodate a forward-facing wheelchair, thanks to an integrated wheelchair ramp.