London's iconic black-cab turns green as electric race pushes on
The new model of electric taxi which produces zero emissions while being driven on battery power comes with built-in wi-fi and a panoramic roof.
A new TX Cab London taxi is plugged into a charging station during a media opportunity at a Shell petrol station on Holloway road, in London, October 18, 2017.
The maker of London's iconic black cab on Tuesday launched a new green version of the vehicle to keep up with stricter emissions rules.
The cab can host up to six passengers and offers internet connectivity and a panoramic roof but more importantly, it produces zero emissions while being driven on battery power.
The new electric taxi is battery powered with a range extender that allows it to go up to 644 kilometres (400 miles).
"If you get a half an hour lunch break to charge up that will be enough to do a whole working day on pure electric," says CEO of London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) Chris Gubbey.
A few TX eCity have already started to pick up fares on the streets of London and other UK cities, as part of a plan to clean up air pollution.
LEVC expects that there will be 9,000 green taxis-- roughly half the current black cab fleet-- on London's roads by the end of 2020.
The company, formerly the London Taxi Company, has also secured an order from the Netherlands and now expects to export the electric taxi to various other location overseas.
TRT World's Sarah Morice reports.
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