Traditionally they’ve always been black… but London’s iconic cabs are about to get a whole lot greener.
Mayor Boris Johnson has announced that by 2018, all new black cabs in the city need to be capable of zero emission running otherwise they will be refused a licence.
The idea is that the cabs will automatically operate in zero emission mode in areas where the capital’s air quality is at its worst, such as parts of central London. To meet the requirement, taxis will either have to be powered by electric motors or, at the very least, have a hybrid system that allows extended battery operation.
Nissan, of course, is ahead of the game. A taxi version of the new e-NV200 electric people carrier is currently under development and will be running silently around London’s streets long before 2018.
“The London taxi is iconic in so many ways – not least in terms of its eye-catching looks and the way it is piloted by wily experts who know the capital like the back of their hand.
“To date its one Achilles heel, particularly of older models, has been the pollution generated by chugging diesel engines. As part of my mission to improve our air quality and drive innovation, I'm making a firm pledge to Londoners that from 2018 all taxis presented for licensing should be zero emission capable,” said Johnson.
The move is part of the Mayor’s plan to introduce an Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London by 2020. And to encourage the early adoption of cleaner taxis, Transport for London, which oversees the capital’s transport systems, is in talks with the Green Investment Bank to develop financial packages to help cabbies make the transition before the 2018 deadline.
Click here to read the full press release.
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