TX4E electric taxi will only appeal to some London cabbies
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily, UK
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]
London's iconic taxi cabs have long been comfortable, loud and diesel-belching. Now, one of the largest manufacturers of the taxi cabs, Manganese Bronze, has announced plans to produce an electric version with electric vehicle specialists the Tanfield Group. The company has been losing business as some cities refuse to buy the standard diesel version due to emissions. 
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