Today, everything is about the caring for mother earth. More and more people are getting in on the trend of green living.

From the food we eat to the things we use, every thing seems to be organic. All is aimed at reducing the damage we have done to earth. Now even cars are hybrids. And come 2012, taxis in the UK will be joining the fray too.

The traditional, black UK taxis have been around for decades now. UK taxis are known to many UK visitors for their unique style. And their cabbies are known for their friendly and warm nature. In a few months time, these taxis will be replaced by more nature friendly taxis.

The E-taxis Available Today

1.E-Vito

The E-Vito was produced by Mercedes. It was made through the help of the UK Government’s Advantage Niche Vehicle Research & Development Programme.

This e-taxi is a slightly tweaked version of the brand’s Vito taxis. They were made in order to assess the benefits that e-taxis will have in the country.

The E-Vito can travel up to 120 km for a six-hour charge. It can take up to 6 people and comes with a 70kW (95hp) electric motor made by Zytek.

Features:

-Low centre of gravity for improved strength of the vehicle

-Large space inside the car

-Anti-lock Braking System

-ESP for stability and control

-Onboard Diagnostics

-Rear axle that makes the whole car easy to steer and control

2.Volkswagen Milano

Volkswagen’s Milano is another E-Taxi in the market today. The Milano, though, is not yet available in the UK. The company has recently revealed its plans to provide mass electric cars that can be used as taxis and would not give taxi drivers a hard time.

This electric taxi uses lithium ion battery that boasts of 85kW of power. It can run up to 75mph in a range of 186 miles between charges.

Features:

-Swivel-sliding door

-Vacant front for carrying passenger luggage

-LCD screen that shows the fare and gives information about interesting local places

-Touch screen computer for the driver’s use

Benefits of Using Electric Taxis

E-taxis provide obvious environmental benefits such as cleaner air, reduced carbon emissions and energy conservation. Aside from this, the use of electric taxis can provide other social benefits such as:

Electric Taxis have fewer parts than a normal petroleum car. Because of this, taxi drivers will have an easier time maintaining their taxis. The extra money they will be saving can go to their personal uses instead of being spent for their taxis’ maintenance.

E-taxis (cars in general) do not pose as much danger as a normal taxi would. It does not run on fuel. Because of this, the risk of accidents is greatly reduced. Also, over heating will not be a problem since it runs on batteries and not the old fuel engines.

E-taxis are definitely quieter than a normal taxi. Having all taxis become electric will result in major noise reduction. This is particularly good on the busy streets and intersections of the UK.

Author Bio: To learn more about electric taxis in the UK and how you can find taxis in the UK, click on taxis locally for more information and local listings of taxi companies.

Category: Automotive
Keywords: taxi, taxis, car hire, private hire