The London Taxi Company (LTC) has revealed that Chargemaster will be its preferred supplier of home charging units, for drivers that will take delivery of the forthcoming extended-range Black Cab.
The arrangement will see taxi drivers receive a complete charge point service, with application for the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme grant, through to installation dealt with by Chargemaster. Drivers will be free to choose charge points from other manufacturers, but LTC will recommend Chargemaster.
As part of the deal, Chargemaster points will come with an extended warranty – up from three years to five – for the next generation taxis from LTC. These will meet the tough legislation coming in that means all newly registered private hire vehicles must be zero-emission capable in London from 1st January 2018 onwards. A maximum CO2 emissions limit will be set at 50 g/km, and the cabs must be able to complete at least 30 miles on zero-emission power only.
It is expected that a reduction in price will be offered too, though this is not confirmed. With around 60% of taxi drivers in London potentially having access to off-street parking, the use of home charging will be an important consideration from both cost and range aspects.
Richard Turnbull, Head of Infrastructure at LTC, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Chargemaster, which will provide our customers with a proven home charge solution using technology that has been specifically selected to support the next generation of range-extended electric taxi.
“The new taxi is currently undergoing the most comprehensive product quality testing programme in our 98 year history, and we’re keen to ensure that our all partners meet a similar quality standard.”
David Martell, Chief Executive of Chargemaster, said: “Inner city air quality is an issue that must be tackled quickly, and LTC’s new range extended electric taxi offers one of the most effective solutions.
“By choosing to work with Chargemaster, LTC is ensuring that its customers benefit from the extensive knowledge of our nationwide Homecharge installation team, making it as easy as possible to go zero emissions. We’re delighted that LTC has chosen to work with Chargemaster, a UK designer and manufacturer or charging infrastructure, for its new British-built taxi.”
Find out more about the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme here.
