A London taxi driver has taken delivery of the first London EV Company (LEVC) electric TX taxi.

David Harris, from Chingford, has been a black cab driver for 21 years and was one of the first to put down a deposit for the new electric taxi when order books opened back in the summer of 2017.

The new LEVC TX is the world’s cleanest, most advanced taxi ever, offering zero emissions motoring thanks to eCity technology comprising of an advanced battery electric powertrain with a small back-up petrol generator that gives a total range of up to 400 miles including 80 miles pure electric driving.

Harris, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to get the keys to my new TX electric taxi and there are two reasons I bought the cab. First, I can't wait to see the response from passengers, I know that they're going to love it. And second, I'm going to see some a significant savings on running the electric taxi. Even though I can't charge the vehicle at home, I should be able to charge the cab once a day at Heathrow. Combined with lower servicing and overall running costs, this means I should end up £500-£600 a month better off before I even go out to work."

He can’t charge his TX at home as he doesn’t have off-street parking but says he’ll incorporate a top-up charge into his daily visit to Heathrow, as the airport features a number of dedicated rapid chargers for electric taxis.

The new vehicle features a multi-filter system which works to remove gases and particles from the incoming air. In addition, an in-built air quality sensor also automatically closes the external air intake if it detects increased levels of pollution in the outside air – protecting passengers, and the driver, from the capital’s often poor-quality air.

Active and passive safety systems will help to protect both the vehicle and other road users too. These include forward collision warnings, autonomous emergency breaking and emergency brake assistance. 

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