Yahoo – AFP, December 5, 2017
London's first electric-powered black cabs hit the streets on Tuesday, the British capital's iconic taxis getting a facelift for the modern age that should help cut pollution in the city.
London's iconic black cabs go electric |
London's first electric-powered black cabs hit the streets on Tuesday, the British capital's iconic taxis getting a facelift for the modern age that should help cut pollution in the city.
The
new-look cabs will meet the strict new emissions regulations required for all
new London taxis from 2018.
They are
replacing the old diesel cabs, with more than 9,000 electric taxis -- around
half the current fleet size -- expected to be plying for trade by 2021.
"The
vehicle is totally new from the ground up and it's a much better experience
both for the cabbie and the passengers," Chris Gubbey, chief executive of
the London Electric Vehicle Company, told AFP.
"The
ride and handling is much better and it's very quiet.
"It's
marrying all of the cutting edge technology with vast experience of what it
takes to make a good taxi."
The renamed
London Taxi Company has been making London's black cabs for almost 70 years in
Coventry, central England.
The
manufacturer was rescued from administration in 2013 by Chinese automaker
Geely.
The new
cabs retain much of the familiar shape, but are marginally bigger, allowing a
sixth passenger inside.
The taxis
have been brought up to date with wifi, USB chargers, a plug socket and a
contactless payment card reader in the back.
The new,
transparent roof allows passengers to take in the cityscape above them.
Smooth
and silent
"The
ride quality is unbelievable. Customers are going to love it. It's so smooth
and quiet," said Peter Powell, 61, a London cab driver of 22 years, who
been road testing the new taxis for the past two months.
But he
admitted that "a lot of old guys don't like the change" with some
concerned about a dearth of charging points.
The new TX
eCity taxi costs £55,000 ($73,800, 62,400 euros), compared to £45,000 for the
last diesel TX4s.
However,
manufacturers estimate cabbies could save £100 a week in fuel costs.
While
Powell and a few other drivers have been road-testing the new taxi in London,
it has also been put through its paces in the extreme conditions of the Arctic
and Arizona.
London taxi
drivers average 120 miles (195 kilometres) per day, including their commute to
and from work.
The new
taxi can do 80 miles on electric power, and has a range-extender petrol engine
that runs a generator, meaning it can cover up to 377 miles, always on electric
power.
It is
different from many hybrid vehicles currently on the road in that the petrol
engine does not drive the wheels directly.
The new
taxi produces about 10 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted by the TX4 and its
nitrous oxide emissions are close to zero.
They can
repower in 35 minutes at rapid charging stations.
London's first electric-powered black cabs hit the streets with a face-lift for the modern age that should help cut pollution in the city https://t.co/HqO87A5bcf pic.twitter.com/Dm9MoGSAq9— AFP news agency (@AFP) December 5, 2017
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