Famed Black Cab Goes Electric With Steep Price Tag

The “World’s Most Advanced Taxi” has arrived in Germany, and it’s ... a long-term investment?

The London EV Company – formerly the London Taxi Company – launched the electric version of their famed London black cab in Berlin, and while the TX comes fully loaded, you’ll pay for the privilege.

Billed as "the most advanced green taxi in the world," the TX sports forward collision warnings, autonomous emergency braking, and emergency brake assistance, with a 31 kWh lithium-ion battery that provides 255 Nm (188 lb-ft) of torque. The TX accelerates from 0-62 mph (0-100 km) in 13.2 seconds, with an all-electric range of 80 miles (and total range of 377 miles).

The TX also boasts a panoramic glass roof, a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Wi-Fi, and for those of us prone to motion sickness, a vibration-free ride. And while owners will supposedly save £100 per week ($132) on fuel – and £500-£600 ($699-$838) a month on fuel, servicing, and operating costs – they’ll offset that with a hefty 59,600 euro ($69,660) investment.

“We built the TX to tackle the mobility issues of the future,” claimed Chris Gubbey, CEO of LEVC. “Smoother and more comfortable, our taxi will be a revolution for drivers and passengers alike.”

But that revolution won’t come cheap, even with the taxi’s combined fuel economy rating of 180.9 MPG (and that’s if you buy the most optimistic “extended-range” scenarios).

We mentioned this before, but traditional diesel cabs run anywhere from £2,000-30,000 used ($2,600-38,600) used, and the TX is also competing with Mercedes Benz’s £47,000 London Vito Taxi. So anyone taking the TX plunge better think long-term savings.

Read more about the TX here: https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/09/tx-electric-taxi-from-london-ev-company-coming-to-germany/