How the London Taxi Company is bringing the black cab into the 21st century

By Ronan Glon Published February 1, 2017

London Taxi Company TX5 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Once a common sight in the British capital, the emblematic Hackney carriage — colloquially known as the black cab — has seen its market share erode significantly over the past decade. The London Taxi Company (LTC) is preparing to introduce a brand-new model in a bid to reclaim its spot as the poster child of England’s taxi industry.

LTC is owned by Geely, a large, China-based auto-maker whose portfolio of brands also includes Sweden’s Volvo. Geely invested over 275 million pounds (roughly $347 million) to develop a state-of-the-art cab dubbed TX5 capable of fending off competition from much more modern passenger van built by the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Nissan.

Recommended Videos

The TX5 was designed from a blank sheet of paper. A gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain represents one of the most noteworthy advancements over the outgoing TX4. Power is primarily provided by a three-cylinder engine, but the cab is capable of driving solely on electricity for over 70 miles. Hybrid technology will become mandatory for all taxi cabs operating in London starting next year, so the TX5 is ahead of the curve.

Penned in Barcelona by British designers, the TX5 borrows key styling cues such as a tall grille, round headlights, and a pronounced belt line from the Austin FX4 cab launched in 1958. The retro treatment is only skin-deep, however. The cab boasts composite body panels, as well as a modular aluminum platform that keeps weight in check. LTC believes the TX5 can earn a five-star crash test rating.

The TX5 will offer space for a driver, up to six passengers — one more than the current model — and a few suitcases. Accessed via suicide doors, the passenger compartment will be equipped with an in-car Wi-Fi connection, charging ports for mobile devices, and a tourist-friendly panoramic sunroof.

TX5s will roll out of a brand new factory that’s currently being built in England. The plant will initially have an annual capacity of 36,000 cars, a figure that far exceeds demand from taxi drivers in London. LTC wants to sell the TX5 around the globe, and officials predict the modular platform will ultimately underpin about seven models. One of them will be a commercial vehicle, LTC boss Chris Gubbey told British magazine Auto Express.

Don’t expect to get picked up by a TX5 if you fly into the Heathrow Airport in the coming months. The cab’s design has been finalized and engineers are fine-tuning the final prototypes, but production hasn’t started yet and the TX5 isn’t scheduled to hit the market late this year at the very earliest.

Updated on 02-01-2017 by Ronan Glon: Added up-to-date technical specifications, information about TX5 variants.

Topics

Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

Cars

Trade group says EV tax incentive helps U.S. industry compete versus China

ev group support tax incentive 201 seer credit eligibility

The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), a trade group with members including the likes of Tesla, Waymo, Rivian, and Uber, is coming out in support of tax incentives for both the production and sale of electric vehicles (EVs).

Domestic manufacturers of EVs and their components, such as batteries, have received tax incentives that have driven job opportunities in states like Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and Georgia, the group says.

Cars

Ford boosts year-end discounts on 2024 Lightning, Mach-E Models

ford discounts lightning mach e 24 frd mch 51368 ao3a1676 edit 14a676

We’re officially into the traditional year-end sales period for automakers. That means big discounts are on the way, as both manufacturers and dealerships want to get rid of unsold inventory to make room for next year’s models.

This season, Ford has decided to boost incentives on its bestselling electric vehicles, the 2024 F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E models.

Cars

Eaton, Treehouse to boost home capacity for EV charging, energy storage

eaton treehouse ev charging news releases

Power-management firm Eaton likes to point out that when it launched in 1911, it invested in a new idea -- the very first gear-driven truck axle -- just at a time when both transportation and power management were on the cusp of dramatic change.
More than 113 years later, Eaton is again seeking to lead innovation in the current energy transition.
The power-management firm just signed a deal with Treehouse, an AI, software-enabled installation platform for electrification projects. The end goal: accelerating the electrification of homes for electric-vehicle (EV) charging, energy storage, or heat pumps, while seeking more efficiency and cost savings.
“At Eaton, we’re all-in on the energy transition and we’re making it happen at scale by delivering breakout technologies and industry collaborations needed to delight customers and make it more accessible and affordable,” says Paul Ryan, general manager of Connected Solutions and EV Charging at Eaton.
The partnership will ensure consumers are provided with accurate and fast pricing, as well as access to licensed electricians to deliver code-compliant installations, the companies say.
The collaboration also integrates into Eaton’s “Home as a Grid” approach, which supports the two-way flow of electricity, enabling homeowners to produce and consume renewable energy when they need it, Eaton says.
“For more than a century, power has flowed in one direction—from centralized power plants into homes,” the company says. “Today, there’s a new reality thanks to solar, electric-vehicle charging, energy storage, digitalization, and more.”
Projects to change homes and EVs into energy hubs have multiplied recently.
Last month, Nissan joined ChargeScape, a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) venture that is already backed by BMW, Ford, and Honda. ChargeScape’s software wirelessly connects EVs to power grids and utility companies, enabling consumers to receive financial incentives for temporarily pausing charging during periods of high demand. Eventually, consumers should also be able to sell the energy stored in their EVs’ battery back to the power grid.
In August, GM announced that V2G technology will become standard in all its model year 2026 models. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that Tesla could introduce V2G technology for its vehicles in 2025.