The Electric Taxi Revolution: A Ground-Up New Car

As we step into the new electric taxi, it's hard to believe this is a car built from scratch as a dedicated electric vehicle. The construction is made of bonded aluminum, using aerospace-grade glue, making it lighter and more rigid than its predecessor. The attention to detail is evident in every aspect of the design, from the interior to the exterior. The air conditioning compressor is on low, but we can still hear the unmistakable sound of the electric power steering going. It's a far cry from the clattering diesel engine of the previous model, the TX4.

Driving Experience: Quiet and Comfortable

After spending just one day driving the new taxi, I had to have chiropractic treatment afterwards due to the discomfort. In contrast, this new car is quiet and comfortable, with a modern feel that's hard to deny. The interior is spacious, with plenty of legroom and headroom, making it perfect for passengers. The exterior design is sleek and sophisticated, turning heads on the street. It's clear that the designers have prioritized comfort and quality, resulting in a car that feels like a luxury vehicle.

Cabbies' Perspective: A New Era

Three seasoned cabbies, Alex, Tom, and Ricky, with over 35 years of experience driving on London's streets, share their thoughts on the new electric taxi. They're impressed by its safety features and comfort level, which is a significant improvement over their previous experiences. The turning circle remains the same as the TX4, making it easy to navigate through tight spaces. While there are concerns about the high price tag of £60,000, which is 25 grand more than the old diesel model, they're open to the idea of switching to electric taxis if it means reducing emissions and saving fuel costs.

Features and Technology

Inside the taxi, we find a range of features that make it an attractive option for drivers. The three-pin plug allows passengers to power up their laptops while on the move, while two USB ports provide ample charging options. The interior is spacious, with plenty of room for wheelchair-accessible ramps. The exterior design is sleek and modern, making it easy to spot on the street.

Range Extender Engine: A Game-Changer

Under the bonnet, we find a 1,500cc petrol range extender engine that acts as a generator, topping up the batteries when needed. This means that drivers can commute into London using the range extender engine to keep the batteries constantly topped up before switching to pure electric mode in pollution-free areas. With this system, drivers may not need to put fuel in for days at a time, reducing emissions and saving on fuel costs.

Challenges Ahead

While the new electric taxi has its advantages, there are still challenges ahead. The high price tag of £60,000 may be a barrier for many cabbies, especially those who rely on diesel taxis. However, with the city's aim to ban diesel cars in central London, there is a growing need for alternative vehicles like these electric taxis.

The Verdict

After a quick spin around London, it's clear that this new electric taxi has made a significant impression. The cabbies are impressed by its safety features and comfort level, making it an attractive option for drivers. While the price tag may be a concern, the benefits of reducing emissions and saving fuel costs make it a worthwhile investment. As we wait to see how these taxis navigate the challenges of London streets, one thing is certain – this electric taxi revolution is here to stay.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: entoday I'm gonna drive a type of car that almost all of us have traveled in but hardly any of us have ever owned I'm talking about those black cabs around 21,000 them circulate the London streets on a daily basis and in the 70 years since they came to the capital they haven't changed much until now because now a revolution is taking place it represents the biggest technological step forward in the industry since the car replaced the horse-and-cart so why is a revolution needed well because London has some of the highest levels of air pollution of any city anywhere in the world researchers concluded that 80% of this pollution is caused by traffic of which 20 percent are black caps up until this point virtually all black Cavs have been powered by something called a diesel engine some of which were reliable none of which were economical and we now know pretty polluted so in an effort to get polluting diesel cabs off the road the London electric vehicle company have come up with this this is called the Le V CTX massively catchy name isn't it but that's not relevant what is relevant is what's underneath here because this is a completely electric black cab and it's not the for time frankly it is not before time so what are the first impressions well predictably it's the silence it's so quiet in here you can pick up on all sorts of little noises you can hear the electric power steering going and obviously you can hear the compressor for the air conditioning so I've got that on low because it's the hottest day of the year today but normally hear that real clatter of diesel the previous model the TX form was introduced in 1997 so it's now well over 20 years old I've driven at X 4 for one day and I had to have chiropractic treatment afterwards it was appalling this by contrast is quiet and comfortable and feels modern and cut edge this thing it's a ground-up new car built as a dedicated electric car so lots of batteries in the floor the construction is bonded aluminium so it uses aerospace glue to put this car together so it's lighter it's more rigid inside there's a real feel of quality and familiarity because a lot of the stuff I can see around me is from a Volvo and it's derived from Volvo because Volvo is part of the same company that owns the London electric vehicle company it's so relaxing I love it but it doesn't matter what I think about the car it's what cabbies think that matters between them Alex Tom and Ricky have clocked up over 35 years on London's streets so it's fair to say they'll have the knowledge what do you think I think he looks amazing the tx4 that we've been driving previously looks quite old-fashioned now this looks like something that we could be really excited about I like the fact they've kept with a bit of tradition but you know people would look at look at that as it drives past and I think he's got a bit of a WOW factor and I'm presuming this is where you'd plug it in on the street next to the headlight yes flap opens up and it gives you three different choices of plug the cab has a basic range of 80 miles but it can recharge to 80% capacity in just 25 minutes if it's hooked up to a fast charge outlet so first things first six seater three here three here and there's a big space here for wheelchair access ramp comes out of here the sides all built in down there is a three-pin plug for your laptop so I can Rob power off you while I'm travelling in your vehicle then you've got two USB charges so you come over sit sit sit sit see what you think a certain sunny feels bigger than my my taxis the height is something else as well it just makes it feel more Airy but does the new cab retain the old ones famous turning circle it keeps going and it keeps it's a proper lock in fact the le VC has exactly the same turning circle as the tx4 at 8.5 meters how does it feel in terms of the comfort level it's really smooth and really comfortable it's much more quiet in here that it is in a normal TX great for passengers then but these guys will have to make a living driving one of these things thousands and thousands of miles happily under the bonnet is a 1500 CC petrol range extender engine which unlike in a hybrid vehicle doesn't drive the wheels but acts like a generator topping up the batteries this takes the potential range to over 300 miles and it gives you a number of options I've got three choices I've got smart save and pure evey I'm in smart and smart basically chooses when I use battery and when the generator kicks in now we're driving around town I've still got lots of battery charge so it's never going to let the generator kick in in safe mode the guys could commute into London using the range extender engine to keep the batteries constantly topped up before switching to pure evey mode to drive pollution free in the city you know they reckon you'll save a hundred pounds a week depending on how clever you are with your journeys you might not put any fuel in it for days and days at a time this new cap seems to take a lot of boxes however there is a downside because it costs 60,000 pounds that's about 25 grand more than the old diesel model that's the problem though if there's a real dryer for there not to be diesel cars anymore in central London then there should be more support for cab drivers to be out of buyer these vehicles yeah it seems it could be the answer but it's still a gamble yeah he's a really big ask yeah so after a quick spin around London will these three cabbies be investing in the new count best bits are the safety and the comfort by a mile this is probably the cab I will purchase I think at this stage I will wait it out and just see how these taxis deal with the challenges that come their way on London streets I think I'm going for an electric taxi in fact alex is now placed his order and you get the feeling the other 20,000 London cabbies won't be far behind you youtoday I'm gonna drive a type of car that almost all of us have traveled in but hardly any of us have ever owned I'm talking about those black cabs around 21,000 them circulate the London streets on a daily basis and in the 70 years since they came to the capital they haven't changed much until now because now a revolution is taking place it represents the biggest technological step forward in the industry since the car replaced the horse-and-cart so why is a revolution needed well because London has some of the highest levels of air pollution of any city anywhere in the world researchers concluded that 80% of this pollution is caused by traffic of which 20 percent are black caps up until this point virtually all black Cavs have been powered by something called a diesel engine some of which were reliable none of which were economical and we now know pretty polluted so in an effort to get polluting diesel cabs off the road the London electric vehicle company have come up with this this is called the Le V CTX massively catchy name isn't it but that's not relevant what is relevant is what's underneath here because this is a completely electric black cab and it's not the for time frankly it is not before time so what are the first impressions well predictably it's the silence it's so quiet in here you can pick up on all sorts of little noises you can hear the electric power steering going and obviously you can hear the compressor for the air conditioning so I've got that on low because it's the hottest day of the year today but normally hear that real clatter of diesel the previous model the TX form was introduced in 1997 so it's now well over 20 years old I've driven at X 4 for one day and I had to have chiropractic treatment afterwards it was appalling this by contrast is quiet and comfortable and feels modern and cut edge this thing it's a ground-up new car built as a dedicated electric car so lots of batteries in the floor the construction is bonded aluminium so it uses aerospace glue to put this car together so it's lighter it's more rigid inside there's a real feel of quality and familiarity because a lot of the stuff I can see around me is from a Volvo and it's derived from Volvo because Volvo is part of the same company that owns the London electric vehicle company it's so relaxing I love it but it doesn't matter what I think about the car it's what cabbies think that matters between them Alex Tom and Ricky have clocked up over 35 years on London's streets so it's fair to say they'll have the knowledge what do you think I think he looks amazing the tx4 that we've been driving previously looks quite old-fashioned now this looks like something that we could be really excited about I like the fact they've kept with a bit of tradition but you know people would look at look at that as it drives past and I think he's got a bit of a WOW factor and I'm presuming this is where you'd plug it in on the street next to the headlight yes flap opens up and it gives you three different choices of plug the cab has a basic range of 80 miles but it can recharge to 80% capacity in just 25 minutes if it's hooked up to a fast charge outlet so first things first six seater three here three here and there's a big space here for wheelchair access ramp comes out of here the sides all built in down there is a three-pin plug for your laptop so I can Rob power off you while I'm travelling in your vehicle then you've got two USB charges so you come over sit sit sit sit see what you think a certain sunny feels bigger than my my taxis the height is something else as well it just makes it feel more Airy but does the new cab retain the old ones famous turning circle it keeps going and it keeps it's a proper lock in fact the le VC has exactly the same turning circle as the tx4 at 8.5 meters how does it feel in terms of the comfort level it's really smooth and really comfortable it's much more quiet in here that it is in a normal TX great for passengers then but these guys will have to make a living driving one of these things thousands and thousands of miles happily under the bonnet is a 1500 CC petrol range extender engine which unlike in a hybrid vehicle doesn't drive the wheels but acts like a generator topping up the batteries this takes the potential range to over 300 miles and it gives you a number of options I've got three choices I've got smart save and pure evey I'm in smart and smart basically chooses when I use battery and when the generator kicks in now we're driving around town I've still got lots of battery charge so it's never going to let the generator kick in in safe mode the guys could commute into London using the range extender engine to keep the batteries constantly topped up before switching to pure evey mode to drive pollution free in the city you know they reckon you'll save a hundred pounds a week depending on how clever you are with your journeys you might not put any fuel in it for days and days at a time this new cap seems to take a lot of boxes however there is a downside because it costs 60,000 pounds that's about 25 grand more than the old diesel model that's the problem though if there's a real dryer for there not to be diesel cars anymore in central London then there should be more support for cab drivers to be out of buyer these vehicles yeah it seems it could be the answer but it's still a gamble yeah he's a really big ask yeah so after a quick spin around London will these three cabbies be investing in the new count best bits are the safety and the comfort by a mile this is probably the cab I will purchase I think at this stage I will wait it out and just see how these taxis deal with the challenges that come their way on London streets I think I'm going for an electric taxi in fact alex is now placed his order and you get the feeling the other 20,000 London cabbies won't be far behind you you\n"