London has welcomed its first range extender electric vehicle cab after more than 10 years of development and a million engineering test kms.
UK based Frazer-Nash Research and Ecotive made the Metrocab, which became the first zero-emission-capable taxi to be licensed by Transport for London to operate as a London Hackney Carriage.
The Metrocabs have a 1 litre petrol range-extender engine coupled with lithium-ion polymer large format cells to offer 12.2kWH of stored capacity and 3kW on board charging.
The 2,515kg vehicle has 560km combined range, a top speed of 80miles-per-hour and boasts 50g/km CO2 emissions.
Metrocab chairman, Sir Charles Masefield, said: “We’re very proud, and delighted with the Metrocabs’ performance, economy and range at the hands of the first few London cabbies to be operating our range extended electric taxis.
“The Metrocab has received numerous accolades and plaudits across the board in recent months, but now it is official – it is the first licensed range extended electric cab for London, and indeed the first in the world.”
The first London taxi driver to operate the Range Extended Electric (REE) Metrocab, Preston Morris, said: “It is great news for me, and for cabbies across London that the Metrocab is now licensed to work in the capital.”
British designed, engineered and built to help London meet its air quality targets, the Metrocab is a new generation zero-emissions capable range extended electric-powered taxi, and represents the cutting edge of green transport technology with styling both evolutionary and iconic.
The trial began at the end of November, with the end date being discussed as more cars are added to the fleet.
