Electric Vehicles

Taxi drivers need one thing to make the switch to EV – to be sure that it will do at least what their current petrol or diesel cab will do. Anything less isn’t worth bothering with.

In simple terms, they want something with a decent range and can charge up whenever they need to so they can be on their way again in a matter of minutes.

Drivers of older, more-polluting vehicles in central London have had to pay the Congestion Charge, Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and/or Low Emission Zone (LEZ) charges, which has already had an impact on professionals such as taxi drivers. 

But from today, the ULEZ scheme has been expanded to include the whole of Greater London within the M25 – adding a further 5 million people.

Range is everything when it comes to EVs and is a big issue for taxi drivers every day – will they be able to take a fare wherever they want to go and what happens if they need to charge on the way?

These problems will disappear as battery technology improves and electric vehicles will be able to travel further on a single charge, which is good news for people who earn their living on the road.

As the world’s elite athletes focus on next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, flying taxis are also preparing to make history.

Aviation start-up Volocopter is aiming to have its two-seater electric aircraft carrying passengers around Paris – which would make it the first service in Europe to use an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

As the drive for cleaner motoring continues, taxi drivers are already ahead of the curve when it comes to using less-polluting vehicles.

The Government’s Taxi and private hire vehicle statistics, England: 2023 report, which was published last month, offers a fascinating insight into the makeup of the taxi and private hire fleets.

The taxi industry is undergoing major changes with the drive towards greener vehicles, as well as the disappearance of traditional haunts for taxi drivers to grab a cuppa and catch up with colleagues.

One of the biggest changes to the taxi landscape has been seen in London, which had plenty of dedicated cafes, services and meeting points for drivers.

Like several other cities, Newcastle has introduced a Clean Air Zone to cut pollution – and is offering financial assistance to help taxi drivers meet the cost of replacing older, more polluting vehicles.

The Clean Air Zone was introduced on January 30 to help to improve air quality by reducing the number of high-polluting vehicles on the roads both within the zone and in the surrounding areas.

Flying cars have always been part of science fiction, but now they could be just around the corner, offering a new dimension to the taxi fleet.

On Monday, guests at the Paris Air Show will be treated to a virtual flight of Eve Air Mobility’s electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL).

The lack of fast and reliable EV charging points has been one of the biggest barriers stopping taxi drivers from making the switch to electric.

Drivers of black cabs and private hire vehicles need to spend more time on the road than they do charging their vehicles in order to earn a living.

As the government continues its drive to make towns and cities greener through schemes like clean air zones, taxi drivers who have yet to make the switch to EVs can face hefty charges to pick up fares.

Drivers in London already pay fees under the expanding ultra-low emission zones (ULEZ) in which vehicles that are not Euro 6 (diesel) and Euro 4 (petrol) compliant are charged £12.50 a day to drive within the zones.

London’s famous public hire taxis have been getting greener – and now the capital’s private hire fleet is following the same route.

Since January 1, all new private hire taxis licensed for the first time must be able to operate in zero-emission mode. Vehicles that fail to meet the greener criteria will not be granted licenses.

The range and charging times of EVs are the biggest issues facing taxi drivers who have made the switch to greener motoring.

While they benefit from lower or no road tax, as well as not paying congestion zone or clean air charges, recharging their vehicles can be a major issue, especially if they have to wait their turn for the public charging network.