One of the country’s oldest taxi businesses is plugged into the future as it adapts to the demands of the modern fleet.
Whiteside Taxis, in Lytham St Annes, started with horses and carts as Handsome Cabs in 1880 – and is now one of the few with taxi bases with its own charging station as the drive towards EVs continues.
As part of its commitment to sustainability, the taxi operator has installed a 60kW rapid charger to keep its EV and plug-in hybrid fleet on the road – and has also made it available to the public.
The charging station was installed by Greenway Power Group, through a partnership with the Patons Group which sees chargers installed at bases with no up-front cost for the equipment.
Whiteside manager Stuart Miller said: “The future of the taxi trade, and motoring in general, is going to be EVs. There is still a way to go with battery range and the charging infrastructure, but we wanted to make sure we are ready for that change.
“It won’t happen overnight, but as the EV fleet builds up, it’s cheaper for our drivers to charge here than at a public charging station where they might have to queue for a charger, which means they are losing business. We’re getting them into the habit that whenever they come back to the base, even if it’s 10 to 20 minutes between jobs, to plug in and charge because that extra charge can make all the difference to their working day.
“We’ve had a good response from our drivers because it means they can do all their local work without having to stop somewhere for 45 minutes to an hour and cause inconvenience customers, and know exactly what it is going to cost.”
Installing its own chargers is helping Whiteside reduce its carbon footprint, as well as supporting others make the switch.
Stuart said: “We have to think about sustainability and the emissions we produce, and it also matters to our customers who are trying to do their bit for the environment. We are encouraging sustainable transport through our vehicles, as well as making it easier for them to switch.
“This is one of the reasons that we decided to make the chargers available to the public. It creates a revenue stream for us and gives them another option for charging. It’s free parking while they are charging, so they can do a bit of shopping or get something to eat, instead of having to wait in the car.”
Stuart added that despite concerns about battery range, the existing charging capacity and changes in the budget which will see EVs and plug-in hybrids charged per mile, installing its own chargers now means that Whiteside can be more strategic about future changes.
He said: “We are one of the few taxi companies, probably the only one on the Fylde Coast, with our own chargers, which means we are already reducing emissions and can plan changes to our fleet without panicking and having to rush to make decisions.
“Operators and drivers have important decisions to make with ICE and hybrid changes coming up, but this gives them another option and takes away some of the worry about where they can charge their taxis when the make the switch.”
A GPG spokesman said: “We are delighted to have had this opportunity to work with such a forward-looking company as Whiteside Taxis. The provision of an on-site, state of the art, dual-gun fast charger will enable Whiteside to expand their electric fleet whilst avoiding the prevalent concerns over the availability and reliability of the public charging network, which is obviously a major source of concern for those businesses looking to become greener.
“At the same time, it permits companies such as Whiteside to create an alternative income stream should they wish to allow public access to the charger. Whilst some upgrading to the onsite power supply was needed, the cost of supplying and installing the charger is met by Greenway Power Group as part of its business model, thus freeing up capital for the taxi business to use for other purposes. We look forward to working with Whiteside and similar-minded businesses in the future.”
Taxi bases EV charger partnership
As taxi operators tackle the huge task of switching their fleet to electric vehicles, Patons has created a special partnership with GPG to help make the transition go more smoothly, with charging equipment installed at bases — usually without any upfront cost to the base owner.
GPG installs a dual-gun charger (or an alternative based on capacity) onsite at the base (subject to adequate power supply) at no cost to the base. Bases must either own the site, or have a six-year protected business lease.
The base then enters into a five-year agreement where GPG applies a surcharge to the base electricity cost over the period. The aim is always to ensure that the total cost is equal to or lower than local public charging facilities.
Bases should ideally already have three electric taxis, with a commitment to increase the electric fleet.
