Ohme and FREE NOW partner to offer discounted taxi and minicab charging solutions


A UK smart EV charging company, Ohme, has today announced a partnership with taxi and private hire booking app FREE NOW, to offer access to discounted intelligent charging solutions.
The new partnership is aiming to slash the cost of smart electric vehicle (EV) charging technology for London’s black cabs and minicabs.
The offer cuts the price of Ohme’s smart charging cable by a quarter. According to Ohme the technology can even enable EV owners to get paid to charge - by plugging in at times of surplus energy generation. FREE NOW drivers will also benefit from reduced installation costs for Ohme’s home charger.
London’s black cab and private hire fleets are required to meet strict new emissions standards by 31 December 2022. This means all private hire vehicles (PHVs) under 18 months old must be zero emission capable (ZEC) and meet the Euro 6 emissions standard when licensed for the first time, requiring a switch from diesel to low or zero-emission vehicles.
The capital‘s licensed taxis have invested £200million into over 3,800 ZEC vehicles to clean up the capital’s poor air quality as requested by the Mayor of London.
David Watson, CEO of Ohme, said: “Electric vehicles are a key pillar of the UK’s strategy of transitioning to cleaner, greener and cheaper transportation. But investing in new vehicles and charging infrastructure can be a barrier to achieving this goal. The more we can bring down the initial cost of equipment and software such as smart charging technology, the faster drivers and fleet operators can achieve significant savings in running costs by accessing cheap electricity, while delivering more sustainable travel for all.
“Delivering this future cannot be done solely from the top down: it requires action at the socket, not just in City Hall or Westminster. That’s why Ohme is committed to working with organisations like FREE NOW who share our vision of bringing down the cost of switching to electric vehicles. Together we are bringing smart EV charging technology to the wider market in our pursuit of cleaner air and reduced carbon emissions.”
Mariusz Zabrocki, General Manager at FREE NOW UK, said: “Transportation in London is undergoing a green revolution, but it’s vital that we keep up momentum and don’t allow progress on decarbonisation to stall. We are committed to supporting black cab and private hire drivers to switch to electric vehicles, which is why our new partnership with Ohme is so important. By lowering the barriers to entry and delivering affordable charging, we can ensure that London is a beacon for other cities in how to improve air quality without costing the earth.”