Coventry’s London Taxi Company reveals crucial new electric cab

COVENTRY-based London Taxi Company has revealed one of the most important new vehicles in its short history.

The company, owned by Chinese automotive group Geely Automobile Holdings, was salvaged from the collapsed Manganese Bronze last year.

It has developed a plug-in range-extended electric black cab which is destined to hit the streets of the capital in 2018.

With London Mayor Boris Johnson demanding stricter emissions standards from the city’s taxi fleet, the new cab is crucial to the firm’s future – especially as competition for business is growing with Nissan, Mercedes and Metrocab all looking for a slice of the lucrative London market.

The various options were displayed at an event in the capital organised by Johnson.

LTC said it was confident it had the technology, experience and investment to manufacture and retail a globally-dominant and iconic black cab, which met Johnson’s air quality ambitions for London.
 
Vice-President of UK Operations, Peter Johansen said: “Given Geely’s green credentials and their commitment to invest £200m in green taxi technology over the next five years, coupled with our own extensive experience and enviable heritage, we feel comfortable that we will provide London with an environmentally-sound Black Cab, which can meet the future air quality demands of our capital city, whilst also delivering a vehicle which is recognised by the general public as a taxi.
 
“Geely’s investment has allowed us to do what we do best; create purpose-built vehicles.  It’s not a van conversion; it’s designed from the ground up to be a London Taxi and will be robust and durable in order to survive the demanding taxi duty cycle.
 
“It responds to Mayor Boris Johnson’s vision for improving London’s air quality and the future global environmental challenges. It also delivers against the needs and expectation of the taxi trade and is an evolution of the iconic, instantly recognisable London Taxi that is loved, admired and respected the world over.”
 
He said Geely’s investment meant the firm had the funds and the capabilities required to further improve the eco-credentials of its existing vehicle.

“It also means that we will be able to fulfil our aspiration to relocate from our Coventry factory to another UK production facility, invest in state-of-the art tooling and further bolster the domestic manufacturing industry and economy through recruitment and global export opportunities,” he added.