Electric cars are a major part of the world’s clean energy future. For us to continue our current model of car ownership, we need to move away from polluting vehicles. This is also true of taxis. Many black cabs run on old, polluting engines. With them almost always in action, taxis contribute more than their fair share to the country’s carbon total. Electric taxis could change this story for the better.
Local Efforts
Local Council authorities across the UK are doing their best to support the electric taxi revolution. Taxi drivers in Coventry will be given the chance to test drive an electric taxi. This is being supplied by a company which provides charging points – in conjunction with the council. Birmingham council is also attempting to encourage the use of electric taxis. It is planning to refuse licences to petrol and diesel vehicles from 2020. Having granted its first licence to an electric taxi, Birmingham is attempting to change its future.
Good Intentions
Unfortunately, efforts from above to encourage electric taxis are not always good enough. Cambridge Council is spending more than £600,000 on electric charging points for taxis. However, there are only an estimated four vehicles capable of using them in the city. This is not an unusual situation. While there is significant support for electric vehicles countrywide, there is also a lack of infrastructure to match it.
The Future?
Electric Vehicles are still the future of travel. While there is a lack of proper infrastructure, electric taxis will remain there. Perhaps more needs to be done to spread awareness of electric taxis before infrastructure catches up. In Finland, a company is offering free electric taxi rides for customers who sing a song in the cab. While this kind of offer is possibly unfeasible on a larger scale, it might be the kind of thinking that spreads the cause of electric vehicles.
