Skip to main content

London’s iconic black cab hits the road with a high-tech makeover

London’s TX electric taxi, a modern version of the city’s iconic black cab, is now taking paying passengers.

We reported last week how the launch of the high-tech cab had been delayed due to technical issues, but on Monday, January 22, cabbie David Harris set off on his first run in the new zero-emission-capable car.

Recommended Videos

Harris, who’s been driving a black cab around London for more than 20 years, said he was “delighted” to finally get the keys to his electric taxi.

Built by the London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), the new taxi has a pure-electric driving range of 80 miles, though this extends to 400 miles with its small petrol-powered back-up generator. The system can save taxi drivers more than 100 British pounds ($138) a week compared to current diesel taxis, LEVC said.

Inside the vehicle, riders will find seating for six people and modern features such as Wi-Fi, charging ports for mobile devices, and power sockets for laptops.

The advanced cab even keeps the environment inside the vehicle clean using a multi-filter system that removes gases and particles from incoming air. Further measures to block London’s often dirty air from entering the taxi include an air-quality sensor that closes the external air intake if it detects increased levels of pollution outside.

The car also incorporates active and passive safety systems such as forward collision warnings, autonomous emergency braking, and emergency brake assistance.

Harris said he’s looking forward to seeing “significant savings on running the electric taxi,” adding, “Even though I can’t charge the vehicle at home, I should be able to charge the cab once a day at Heathrow [airport]. Combined with lower servicing and overall running costs, this means I should end up five hundred to six hundred pounds ($700 to $840) a month better off before I even go out to work.”

The cab doesn’t come cheap though, costing drivers a hefty 55,599 pounds ($77,800). But a finance plan costing 177 pounds ($250) per week over a five-year period will be the likely option for many — that compares to the former diesel-powered black cab design that cost 167 pounds ($235) per week over four years. LEVC has so far received more than 200 orders for the new taxi, according to Autocar, and it’s predicted that by the end of 2020, 9,000 of London’s 23,000 black cabs will be zero-emission-capable vehicles.

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, recently described the TX as “a fantastic vehicle,” adding that it could help persuade Londoners to switch to “electric, clean, and green” vehicles.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Is DC fast charging really that bad for your EV’s battery? We asked the experts
Charging a Chevy Blazer EV

It's commonplace to hear about best practices for ensuring that your EV's battery remains in top condition for the longest period of time. Chief among those is to only charge your electric vehicle to 80%. Also common, however, is the idea that DC fast charging your EV all the time degrades the battery in a way that can impact range.

That prospect is made even worse by the fact that range is already an issue when it comes to electric vehicles. Range anxiety is one of the biggest downsides of buying an electric vehicle, considering the fact that EVs take longer to refuel and there are far fewer charging stations than there are gas stations. And when you only charge your vehicle to 80%, you'll only get four-fifths of the range that the manufacturer advertised.

Read more
2025 Porsche Macan EV first drive: electrifying a bestseller
2025 Porsche Macan

Porsche is giving EVs a major vote of confidence. While the brand will continue to sell non-EVs for many years, including the emblematic 911, it developed the second generation of the Macan exclusively with electric power in mind. You won’t find a twin-turbocharged V6 or a plug-in hybrid system on the specifications sheet; it’s all electric, all the time. That’s a bold move -- we’re talking about one of Porsche’s bestselling models, not a niche car that has a greater effect on image than on sales. Was it the right move? Join us as we find out.
Subtly electric

There’s no mistaking the new Macan for its predecessor when you walk past it. It’s characterized by styling cues that align it with the Taycan sedan, which was the first series-produced electric Porsche. Up front, rectangular lights are accented by four individual LEDs; in back, there’s a light bar that makes the SUV appear wider than it actually is. Nothing about the design screams “I’m electric!” but there are relatively subtle hints if you know where to look. Here’s a cheat sheet: the front overhang is shorter than the original Macan’s and the wheelbase is nearly 4 inches longer. That’s because engineers had to package a massive battery pack rather than an engine.

Read more
Everything we know about the Tesla Cybercab
Tesla Cybercab at night

After years of rumors and hype, Tesla has finally unveiled its plans for the future of autonomous driving in the form of the new Tesla Cybercab. The Cybercab is the company's end goal for self-driving tech, essentially serving as a vehicle that's completely autonomous to the point that it doesn't even have a steering wheel. The car was finally shown off at Tesla's "We, Robot" event on October 10 and gives a look at what Tesla thinks is the future of transportation.

At the event, Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave us a ton of details about the vehicle itself and what Tesla hopes to achieve with it. There's still plenty we don't know about the Tesla Cybercab, but here's a look at everything that we do know.
Exterior design
The design of the vehicle is perhaps less surprising than you might assume. It looks kind of like a crossover between the Cybertruck and the Model 3, offering long light bars on the front and rear and a futuristic overall look, but in the shape of something that at least kind of resembles a typical car. Like the Model 3 and Model Y, it has a curved roofline along the top, but unlike those cars, it terminates in a flat rear similar to that of the cismCybertruck.

Read more