Made in Coventry: Electric cab revealed for London taxi market

The Dynamo Taxi is based on the fully-electric top-spec Nissan e-NV200 Evalia people carrier, which Dynamo re-engineers into a wheelchair-accessible taxi capable of carrying up to five passengers at its Coventry factory.

The car, which has been officially approved by Transport for London (TfL), was revealed at the International Clean Air Conference at London City Hall in front of attendees including new minister for the future of transport George Freeman, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Nissan Motor (GB) managing director Kalyana Sivagnanam.

The average taxi driver in London covers a distance of 90 to 120 miles a day, spending roughly £25 in fuel. Using a home charger, it will cost Dynamo Taxi drivers £3-£6 in electricity to cover the same distance, saving drivers nearly £20 a day in running costs alone.

The Dynamo Taxi has a range of up to 187 miles from a single charge – far above the average distance taxi drivers in London cover daily.

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The taxi is expected to accelerate the retirement of current diesel taxis from city streets across the UK, improving air quality. Taxis currently account for 16% of all vehicle nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in central London, according to TfL figures.

To curb emissions, Transport for London has introduced new, tougher, licencing requirements for new taxis, limiting their emissions to 50g/km CO2 and a mandatory zero emissions range of at least 30 miles. Any new taxi vehicle has to meet these emissions criteria to operate within London.

London has also committed to being a zero carbon city by 2050, with plans to introduce local zero emissions zones on top of the current ‘London low emission zone’.

The Dynamo Taxi costs £55,495, and is eligible for £7,500 in government plug-in car grant funding, bringing the price down to £47,995 for drivers.

Brendan O’Toole, founder and CEO of Dynamo, said: “The UK’s new car market is experiencing an electric revolution, with record numbers of fully electric vehicle registrations taking place each year. Electric vehicle technology is now a viable alternative to petrol and diesel vehicles, and it’s imperative the UK’s taxi market changes with the times.

“The Dynamo Taxi is the UK’s first Transport for London-approved fully electric taxi and is designed with both drivers and passengers in mind. With a low starting price, and a reliable vehicle architecture in the Nissan e-NV200, we are offering a truly unique solution to the tens of thousands of taxi drivers in London and cities across the UK.”

New minister for the future of transport, George Freeman said: “Seeing the iconic black taxi joining the electric revolution and help in the fight to reduce poisonous emissions is fantastic. Dynamo’s latest innovation launched today will help the UK continue to progress towards our net zero target by 2050.

“The Government is supporting the growing uptake of electric vehicles, investing nearly £1.5 billion through our Road to Zero programme, and £400 million through a joint Government and industry Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund for electric charging.”

Dynamo www.dynamotaxi.com