Past: Diesel

Since the first electric taxis briefly operated in London in the late 1800's, the vast majority of the fleet has been powered by internal combustion engines (ICE) of either the petrol or diesel varieties. Fast forward to the present day and Transport for London (TFL) and other local organizations have been implementing policies to improve air quality and reduce emissions.

Based on anecdotal evidence, the most popular model for the classic London black cab has been the TX4. This is joined by the Mercedes-Benz model and perhaps a small number of other vehicle designs.

Today: Electric and Hybrid

It became mandatory for all new London black taxis vehicles to have a minimum zero emission range of 30 miles starting 2019.

In practice the only model I saw during the first years of this new rule was the LEVC TX. This vehicle shares a lineage with the popular TX4 and previous models. The chassis is manufactured in the UK but many parts are sourced elsewhere. The electric range, although variable, is quoted as being 129km which is over the 30 miles limit to be classified as ZEC. Unlike the most popular hybrid passenger cars, the LEVC TX has a separate petrol generator that is disconnected from the all-electric drive train. This functions to recharge the battery or directly feed the electric motors when the battery is discharged.

More recently the Dynamo Taxi based on the Nissan NV200 platform has been spotted in regular use. This pure electric vehicle has a quoted range of 300 km.

It is thought that the electric and hybrid vehicles now exceed 30% of the London black cab fleet.

Future: Pure Electric

Although pure electric vehicles are available today, much of the fleet is yet to be replaced.

In 1994 the government started introducing a 15 year age limit to ensure the London taxi fleet was being continuously refreshed. The rules were made stricter in 2019 specifically to set a phase out date for the diesel vehicles. This is based on a Zero Emission Capable (ZEC) standard allowing for pure electric vehicles but also for hybrid vehicles that can travel up to 30 miles in pure electric mode. This means the last pure diesel fuel London taxi will be decommissioned before 2034.

Based on current regulations this may leave the LEVC TX vehicles with a petrol generator still operating up to 2034. As of 2022 it is not known whether LEVC has plans to release a longer range electric version or to phase out the petrol generator.

Hailing Guide

There are standards which London black cabs have to meet to be allowed to operate. Most of them are black but this is not a strict requirement. Many of them are a different plain color or covered in advertising.

It is possible to spot the difference between the diesel, hybrid and electric models from a distance. Please use the photos at the top of this page as a guide.

Electric - In my experience, most of the Nissan taxis are emblazoned with the words "100% electric" in large letters on the side. You can also tell by Nissan badge and from the shape of the vehicle which differs from the LEVC models.

Hybrid - I find the biggest giveaway for the hybrid vehicle is the headlights. These are obviously composed of multiple individual LED side lights in a circular pattern around the main beam headlights. If the yellow turn signals are activated these are also circular. You can also tell from the shape of the vehicle which tends to be larger than the diesel predecessor.

Diesel - As usual, the best visual indicator for thee diesel vehicle is the exhaust (tail pipe). Unfortunately for reasons of aesthetics even the electric vehicles have a simulated radiator grill on the front so this is harder to use to discern the electric from the combustion variants. You can always tell by the time you are close because the diesel engine is clearly audible even when stopped in traffic.

There are different methods to hail a black cab:

App - If you are hailing via an app please select one of the apps that allows you to choose the low emission option. FreeNow is an example of an app that supports this.

Street - If you are hailing the cab on the street, there are enough of the newer hybrid and electric vehicles available that you can probably wait for the one you want. I personally haven't seen very many pure electric though the hybrid is extremely common. Wait until you see the one you want for the one you want and put your arm out as usual. Taxis where the orange light is lit are available for hire.

Taxi Rank - Controversially, it is possible to select the taxi you prefer from a taxi rank at a train station or other waiting location. Although historically this was strictly prohibited, I have done it to choose the hybrid vehicle. In my experience you will be asked to explain your choice to all of the taxi drivers, who were very understanding.

The price of London black cabs is controlled so there is no green premium for riders to choose the low emission option.

References

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/electric-london-black-cab-launches-187-mile-range

https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co24902/bersey-electric-taxi-cab-taxis

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/taxi-age-limits-additional-information.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LEVC_TX

https://www.taxi-point.co.uk/post/production-ceased-nissan-dynamo-taxi-no-longer-available-but-new-electric-model-being-sourced

Image Credits:

(1) Photo of a (diesel) TX4 London cab near Hyde Park | *SHERWOOD* | CC-BY-SA | https://www.flickr.com/photos/mwanasimba/2847993182/

(2) Photo of a pure electric Nissan London cab | MotorBlog.com | CC-BY | https://www.flickr.com/photos/motorblog/11807298896/

Publication date 01 Aug 2022