It’s called TX5 or more accurately LEVC TX5. The first word stands for London Electric Vehicle Company. It is wholly owned by the Chinese corporation Geely, the same one that now owns Volvo Cars.
In 2018, the old London taxis with diesel were banned. The machines had to be redone. As a 100% electric taxi would be very expensive and could not be charged all day, it was decided to make a plug-in hybrid, but in the same way as the internal combustion engine does not touch the traction wheels at all. Basically, the car has two engines. One is for driving and is electric, located in the back. The other is in front, it is an internal combustion engine that acts as a generator. Of course it is also chargeable up front. By prior agreement, LEVC has preserved not only the iconic appearance of the taxi, but also its original origin – a new factory in Coventry was built for this car 250 million pounds five years ago. Special attention is paid to the driver’s workplace. The steering wheel, driver’s screen and scales are from Volvo, and the gear lever is from the Polestar electric car.
“Everything here is like a taxi. A neat glass partition, a counter where to put money. There is no passenger seat, because there are suitcases here. Because the car as such does not have a trunk, ”says Normunds Avotiņš.
Instead, there is only a small cabinet left for the spare wheel, battery and charging cable. Everything else is left to the passenger cabin – and to someone! Thanks to the retractable ladder, a taxi can push a pram or wheelchair. In addition to the three-seater rear seat, there are three additional folding chairs, one of which can be folded out.
“Yes, this is undoubtedly the most humane taxi model in the world. Everyone likes the TX5. Everyone is watching, everyone is smiling! If taxi drivers could afford such a car, they would be happy, there are completely different working conditions! It goes well, rolls softly, and doesn’t use much fuel, if at all. ”
How far is its reach? With a full tank and half a battery, we can drive 319 km. Newer electric cars go just as far without an extension cord. However, the TX5 will not take up public chargers, and charging is not long, as the battery has only 31 kilowatt hours. The turning radius is as phenomenally small as the original – less than 8.5 meters. The patented suspension design allows the front wheels to be cut unrealistically far.
“It simply came to our notice then. Questions sooner or later, how much does such an electrified taxi cost? The number is impressive. Together with all the extras, this car costs 82,000 euros, ”concludes Avotiņš.
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