TURNING HEADS: All-electric MAXiCab taxi showcased at SMMT Electrified with continued push to enter London market noted
- Perry Richardson
- Mar 12
- 2 min read
One of the UK’s latest black cab taxi designs will be displayed at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) Electrified 2026 event in London this week, although the vehicle itself cannot currently operate as a licensed taxi in the capital.
The MAXiCab, developed by Glasgow-based wheelchair accessible vehicle manufacturer Allied Vehicles, is being showcased at the SMMT Electrified event at the QEII Centre on 12 March. The six-seat vehicle is built on the all-electric Ford E-Tourneo Custom platform and offers a zero-emission driving range exceeding 200 miles.
Launched in 2025, the MAXiCab has since gained approval for use in major cities across the UK as a public hire taxi. However, it remains unavailable to London taxi drivers because it does not comply with Transport for London’s (TfL) strict turning circle requirement, a rule that has shaped the design of the capital’s purpose-built taxis for more than a century.
London’s turning circle regulation dates back to 1906, when early motorised taxis risked stalling and required manual crank-starting. The tight manoeuvrability standard was introduced to ensure vehicles could perform a U-turn within the width of a typical London street.
Allied Vehicles’ six-seat electric taxi can operate across most UK cities but fails to meet the capital’s long-standing turning circle requirement.
Manufacturers like Allied Vehicles have long argued that the requirement presents a barrier to modern vehicle platforms entering the London taxi market. Most mass-produced vehicles are unable to meet the unique specification, which has historically limited the capital’s fleet to specially engineered models such as the purpose-built taxis produced by manufacturers including London EV Company (LEVC).
Currently, the MAXiCab offers operational advantages for operators outside London. The vehicle includes a separate passenger compartment and provides a large usable interior space, allowing improved positioning and access for wheelchair users.
The company also points to the decline in London’s accessible taxi fleet over the past decade. Industry figures indicate that the number of licensed wheelchair accessible taxis in the capital has fallen from around 22,000 to roughly 14,000 vehicles, a reduction that has raised concerns about long-term capacity and replacement costs for drivers.
The debate around taxi turning circles continues to draw tension between maintaining London’s historic taxi design standards and enabling a wider range of electric vehicles to enter the market as the industry transitions toward zero-emission fleets.
Lisa Brankin, Chair and Managing Director of Ford of Britain and Ireland and one of the keynote speakers at SMMT Electified, said: “Designed and engineered by Ford in Dunton, with an electric motor manufactured in Halewood in Merseyside, and then converted to a taxi in Glasgow, MAXiCab showcases the strength of British automotive engineering and collaboration. It’s a great example of how UK expertise is helping reduce transport carbon emissions and deliver cleaner mobility for the future."
Peter Facenna, Allied Vehicles Managing Director, said: “Our strong partnership with Ford has helped us to create what we believe to be the ideal modern taxi for congested, urban environments.
“Unblocking the London market would provide a much-needed competitive option for hard-pressed London cab drivers and would result in an additional 200 jobs in UK manufacturing.”
