Whether the new TX4E electric cab is right for your favorite London cab driver just might have a lot to do with where that driver lives. According to a story in the South China Morning Post (can only find a Lexis Nexis link that probably won't work), the upcoming all-electric black cab made by London Taxis International, part of Manganese Bronze, has one major drawback: a 100-mile range. "Hey," you might be saying to yourself, "an EV with that sort of range would be perfect for me." And that might be the case. But for London cab drivers who live outside the city - and therefore need to commute 40 or so miles a day from home to downtown - the TX4E just isn't going to cut it.The general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, Bob Oddy, told the Post that only about 40 percent of London cabbies will be able to be able work a full eight-hour shift on a 100-mile charge. A company spokesperson defended the cab and said that drivers will be able to get a one-hour "quick charge" that will refill the battery 25 percent when needed. Considering the slow but steady increase in EV charging stations, recharging is at least a possibility. Of course, for cabbies, time is money, so if they're not the leisurely lunch types, this particular EV isn't the right car. Still, shifting 40 percent of London cabs from diesel to electrons would be a nice move.
[Source: South China Morning Post]
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1. Maybe they could benefit from a removable battery pack that was part of a battery-swap system. The spare pack could go in the trunk to provide extra range for commuting, then get turned in at the start of working hours. At the end of the day, the cabbie picks up a new trunk pack to get home.
A combination of fixed and removable battery packs like that might expand the appeal of EVs to those with longer commutes in the U.S., too. It's still no good for long road trips, though, since a removable pack would have to eat into luggage space.
Posted at 7:58PM on May 8th 2008 by GenWaylaid