The classic London black cab is synonymous with the cityscape. But this iconic image is getting a new look, moving to lightweight aluminium frames and electric powertrain systems.
It will be produced at the London Taxi Company's manufacturing plant in Ansty, near Coventry, the first new car factory to be opened in the UK in the last decade. Investment in the Ansty plant comes from Chinese parent company Geely, with a total valuation of £300 million. The factory is expected to create 1,000 jobs in the Coventry area, including engineer positions and apprenticeships. The site has the capacity to build more than 20,000 vehicles per year, utilising Volvo's designs for electrical cars to create a fleet of new TX5 model black cabs.
It's fitting that at a site dedicated to producing vehicles with zero-carbon emissions, the factory itself is founded upon a range of sustainability principles. The London Taxi Company told WIRED: "We have gone to great lengths to ensure that our new factory meets some of the highest sustainability standards. We worked with Natural England during the building to protect rare wildlife in the area. In addition, the factory has a BREEAM excellent rating, with a solar PV roof, rain water harvesting and waste heat capture."
A representative from the London Taxi Company told WIRED: "We think that London has a unique opportunity to lead the world in the transition to zero emissions urban transport – and we want to lead the charge of this historic transition."
The TX5 is designed to be a zero emissions taxi. It retains the key features of the classic cab design, including wheelchair accessibility and a cabin designed for up to six passengers. Furthermore, the testing process for the new TX5s is unlike anything the company has attempted before.
The electric cabs have had to endure testing in extreme environments, including heavy snow and other hazardous driving conditions, so as to ensure they are as resilient as possible for many urban environments. Testing was undertaken in Norway, where the cabs were subjected to -15°C temperatures in remote regions. During these tests, they are expected to be able to drive for over 500,000 kilometres. Volvo's three-cylinder petrol engine is used as the TX5's generator for a large battery pack and electric motors, producing a pure-EV range of roughly 70 miles.
The opening of the Coventry factory intersects with the announcement of an additional £64 million of investment from the Department of Transportation to promote the use of electric taxis. The scheme supports two main areas - a £50 million Plug-in Taxi Grant programme, which will include subsidies of up to £7,500 off the price of a new vehicle for taxi drivers, and a £14 million investment for new dedicated charge points for electric taxis in ten council areas. The new charging points are set for key urban areas such as Birmingham (£2.9 million), Coventry (£1.2 million) and London (£5.2 million).
This investment is projected to create 400 rapid and 150 fast charge points which will enable the take-up of around 23,000 ULEV taxis.
Shirley Rodrigues the deputy mayor for energy and environment said: "With air quality at toxic levels in London, our Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan sets out bold measures to fully support the black cab trade’s evolution into zero emission capable vehicles."
The announcement comes in the wake of uncertainties surrounding the automotive industry's fate in the UK. A report published earlier this week suggested that the price of manufacturing cars in the UK could increase by £2,370 in the event of a “hard Brexit”. PA Consulting Group found that, once World Trade Organisation tariffs are introduced, British factories will not be as economically appealing in terms of foreign investment and could force companies to look elsewhere for business.
The new black cabs are set for the streets of London in the first quarter of 2017, with a worldwide roll-out expected across Europe in 2018.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
