Introduction of London electric taxi fleet delayed

Date: 7/6/2013

The launch of an electric taxi fleet in the British capital has been delayed after it emerged that the existing charging network is not compatible with the vehicles.

As the Evening Standard reports, Green Tomato Cars had been planning to have its electric taxis on the roads by June 21st, but now they will not be operating until late summer at the earliest.

While London currently has some 1,300 charging points, only one is compatible with the Chinese-built cars, and the minicab firm is now calling for the introduction of more rapid charge stations.

Hamish Phillips, a Green Tomato Spokesman, said: "The infrastructure is not in place to run an operation like ours.

"Our cars are in use 12 hours a day travelling between 120 and 150 miles. We can’t have them standing idle."

Green Tomato already has a 300-strong fleet of hybrid vehicles on the roads, but has not set a definitive date by which it expects to have its 50 electric taxis in service.

Posted by Nick Anderson

International Transport News and Sustainable Transport News