Electric London Taxi review
We get behind the wheel of the capital's new zero-emissions black cab
DrivingElectric Associate Editor Vicky Parrott recently got the chance to test the LEVC TX on the streets of London, and spoke to a London cabbie who's already running one (above).
The black cab has been synonymous with London and the UK for many years, but with over 20,000 of them on the capital's roads, the contribution of their diesel-engine emissions to local air pollution has become a serious concern for politicians and residents alike.
Enter the LEVC TX – a new generation of range-extender electric taxi, designed to retain the iconic looks of the traditional black cab while bringing its power source right up to date. It boasts a large, spacious and airy interior for fare-paying passengers, as well as a vastly improved driving experience up front for the driver.
The TX promises an electric range of 80 miles, while a 1.5-litre petrol engine is on standby to keep the batteries topped up when they run down, so there's no danger of passengers having to be dropped off short of their destination.