DRIVE TOWARDS ELECTRIFICATION: Mayor of London reveals HUGE shift to zero-emission capable taxis and PHVs
- Perry Richardson
- Jun 7, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 10, 2024
London is accelerating towards an electric future with substantial growth in electric vehicle (EV) registrations over the past five years. This surge is attributed to ambitious policies and infrastructural developments aimed at reducing emissions.
Mayor Sadiq Khan highlighted the success of these initiatives, noting that 57 percent of London taxis and 43 percent of private hire vehicles (PHVs) are now zero-emission capable. This shift is largely due to the introduction of stringent licensing requirements for zero-emission capable vehicles forcing thousands of diesel vehicles off the road.
To maintain that momentum, LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) recently introduced a £1,500 finance deposit contribution on its TX model in response to a reduction in the UK Government's Plug-in Taxi Grant in April. This initiative has helped to mitigate the financial impact of the grant's decrease from £7,500 to £6,000, encouraging more taxi drivers to switch to electric vehicles.
For PHV drivers, Uber launched several measures to further encourage EV adoption. Last month, Uber introduced ‘Power-up Grants,’ providing drivers with £5,000 towards the cost of a new or used EV. This funding is part of Uber’s Clean Air Plan. Additionally, Uber offers significant discounts on selected EV models, including a £12,000 to £17,000 reduction on various Kia vehicles. When combined with the Power-up Grant, drivers could benefit from total savings of up to £22,000.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said in a written question around the topic of electric vehicle growth in the capital: “London has seen a substantial growth in electric vehicle (EV) registrations over the past five years as a result of ambitious policies, including the delivery of public EV charging infrastructure and zero emission capable taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing requirements which have resulted in 57 percent of London taxis and 43 percent of London’s PHVs being zero emission capable.”
