An investigation into the UK’s largest Taxi fleets reveals a nation where diesel still reigns supreme. By requesting fleet data via the Freedom of Information Act, Scottish Lease Fetcher have revealed which are the greenest Taxi fleets in the country (Milton Keynes Birmingham & London) and which are the most diesel-heavy cities (Plymouth, Coventry & Belfast).
With the 2030 end-date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, the team at Lease Fetcher set out to investigate how green UK taxi fleets are at the moment, and which areas of the country are leading the way when it comes to electrifying their fleets.
Investigating the fuel spread across the 25 largest UK taxi fleets, there is good and bad news.
Starting with the bad news: diesel still reigns supreme on a national scale. Across the 25 cities, 53.74% of all taxis are still diesel-fuelled, and a whopping 72.07% if you exclude London. That’s 80,451 diesel taxis still roaming British roads – and that’s only counting the 25 largest cities!
The good news is that hybrid electric taxis have overtaken petrol-fuelled ones and hold a strong second place with 33.09% of all taxis. Exclude London and the second place is a little less impressive, albeit still a second place, with 12% hybrid taxis.
Looking at electric taxis by a percentage of the city’s total taxi fleet, there are three green frontrunners:
Milton Keynes leads the way with 6.57% of their fleet fully electric, almost exclusively made up of Toyota Prius EVs.
A close second is Birmingham with 5.67% of their fleet electric. Once again the Toyota Prius takes a convincing 1st place, but there is also a wide spread of other electric taxis in the Birmingham fleet. Drives such as the Toyota Auris, LEVC TX, and the Lexus CT prove popular.
Third place goes to London with 4.54% of their fleet electric. Prius takes the number one spot, but the Toyota Auris, LEVC TX & TXII, and Hyundai IONIQ all grab top 15 spots across all fuel types.
“Although Milton Keynes, Birmingham and London’s percentages of Taxis that are electric are all above the national average (3.63%) those are all pretty small percentages in the grand scheme of things.
If we are to electrify UK Taxi fleets and improve the air quality in large congested cities, someone needs to start whipping out big incentives and not just expect minimum wage drivers to cash out on very expensive cars, especially not after being poorly prioritized during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns,” says Will Craig, Founder of Lease Fetcher
Susan Smith, CabDirect says the speed of EV adoption depends on Government support. “Government support is needed to facilitate this move, firstly to increase the availability and compatibility of charge points and also by providing more grants for those who wish to buy electric. The Government should also be investing directly with taxi manufacturers, allowing them to develop more electric solutions at an affordable price point.”
More and more manufacturers are focusing on developing new electric power trains and platforms which could result in the number of electric cars to grow rapidly over the next several years. The fall in prices, improvements in range, increased investment, and rollout of charging networks has started to create serious competition on the market. Big automakers like Volkswagen and Daimler are accelerating the transition towards electric drive, paving the way for the breakthrough of electric vehicles. Today we’ll talk about the top 10 all-electric cars that will hit the roads as early as 2020.
Audi e-tron Sportback
Audi aims at electrifying one-third of all new models and is going to bring its next all-electric car to market in 2020. The newly unveiled e-Tron Sportback comes with a futuristic design and embedded innovative AI technologies to ensure a comfortable and connected environment for its passengers. The vehicle will be built using the same electric drivetrain and battery as the company’s first all-electric car, the e-Tron Quattro SUV, but it’s equipped with a coupe a roof which makes the vehicle more aerodynamic, allowing it to overcome around 6 miles more distance. The all-wheel-drive SUV coup will be available in two options the higher-end version is expected to have a real-world range of about 210 miles on a full charge. It will be equipped with dual electric motors for a total regular output of 265 kilowatts and 414 pound-feet of torque. The new electric coupe a crossover features an innovative lighting technology with digitally controlled matrix LED units at the front and rear, which can produce excellent light combinations enabling the vehicle to communicate visually with the surroundings. The Audi e-Tron Sportback will have a starting price of about $78,000.
Tesla Model Y
Tesla has officially launched its highly anticipated compact crossover SUV which is expected to come to the market in fall 2020. The Model Y’s design is remarkably similar to the Model 3’s design, but thanks to its 10% bigger size it can be outfitted with a third row of seats for a total seating capacity of seven. The company offers both rear and all-wheel-drive variants which come with impressive aerodynamic performance enabling at the higher end version to reach 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds. The car is mostly free of buttons on the inside featuring a large infotainment display in the middle of the dashboard the vehicle is able to achieve a real-world range of up to 300 miles on a single charge and has a starting price of $48,000. The cheaper version with a smaller battery is due to go on sale in spring 2021 with a price of $39,000. Tesla also has plans to produce a more powerful version of the Model S in 2020 which will come with a three-motor powertrain and new rear-facing seats. The specifications are still unknown but it will be quicker than the Tesla Model S P 100 d with ludicrous mode ready to set new records from an electric sedan
Ford Mustang Mach E
Ford finally unveils it’s gorgeous powerful long-range all-electric SUV, which is inspired by the company’s iconic muscle car. The Mustang Mach II comes with the three bar taillights and a familiarly shaped grille cutout. The vehicle will be available in five variants with both all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive power trains featuring standard and extended range battery options respectively. The company will first deliver the premium and first edition models in late 2020 which can achieve a real-world range of 270 miles with a pair of electric motors powered by an extended-range battery and the premium model with a single motor-driven powertrain can overcome a distance of 300 miles. The rear-wheel-drive base model can achieve a range of 230 miles on a full charge and reached 60 miles per hour in about 6.5 seconds driven by two electric motors. A special GT performance Edition, which will be available from spring 2021, is able to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds like the all-wheel-drive Model Y performance variants. Mach E offers a spacious interior featuring a large touchscreen in the center of the dashboard for navigation and entertainment as well as an additional screen in front of the driver for speed and battery information. The Mustang Mach E has a starting price of $43,900.
Rivian R1T
US-based automotive start-up Rivian has launched its first all-electric pickup truck which comes with an impressive all-electric powertrain and special features. It’s an intelligent adventure machine, with a robust and rugged design featuring as the company describes a lockable gear tunnel that extends through the entire width of the vehicle and provides more than 350 liters storage area. The five-passenger vehicle comes with three powertrain options equipped with four independent electric motors on each wheel and the higher end version provides a maximum 562 kilowatts power capacity and 3500 Newton meter of grounded torque per wheel. The ability to control the torque at the wheel and configure the total power output to different levels enables the owners to steer the pickup truck like a tank which is capable of reaching 60 miles per hour in an incredible three seconds. The different power levels match different choices of battery packs which can provide a range of 230 to 400 miles on a full charge. Inside it features a 15.6-inch touchscreen display dominating the middle of the dashboard for navigation and entertainment. Rivian has been working on possible configurations of the r1t to offer owners different options which could result in a zero-emission camper version of the vehicle. The r1t starts at $69,000 and the first deliveries are set to begin in late 2020.
BMW IX 3
BMW that aims at electrifying 25 models by 2023 is going to bring its next all-electric car to market in 2020 which will feature the fifth generation of BMW E drive technology for the first time. This means that the BMW IX 3 which was unveiled at the 2018 Beijing Motor Show will feature more integrated powerful and compact drivetrain and battery packs with higher energy capacity. BMW classifies the IX 3 as a sports activity vehicle that comes with a 70-kilowatt hours battery pack with an expected peak output of 250 kilowatts and at 150 kilowatts charging capacity. The BMW IX 3, which is due to go on sale next year, will be the first model produced for the entire global market at the Chinese production location in Shen yang.
Polestar Two
Volvo’s performance brand Polestar has launched its first all-electric car which is due to come to market in 2020. The Polestar 2 is built on Volvo’s all-electric adaptable compact modular architecture platform and comes with a performance-oriented design delivering a lower drag coefficient for enhanced aerodynamic performance. It’s the first vehicle that features an Android-powered infotainment system creating a unique and responsive customer experience the system provides all the necessary information on the vertically mounted 11-inch display and offers a broad range of services and functions using an in-car version of Google Assistant. A pair of electric motors, one on each axle, that joined forces to provide a total output of 300 kilowatts and 488 pound-feet of torque send a vehicle from naught to 60 miles per hour in less than five seconds. The battery has a total capacity of 78 kilowatt-hours for a real-world range of about 275 miles on a full charge. Dual electric pole star 2 which has a starting price of around $45,000, goes into production in China to be distributed globally from June 2020.
Porsche Taycan
German high-performance premium automobile manufacturer Porsche has finally unveiled the production version of its highly anticipated first all-electric car which comes with quite
stunning design and impressive performance. The Taycan’s stylish design which is very similar to the original Mission E concept enables superior driving dynamics with an impressive 0.22 drag coefficient. The company is going to bring both the higher end and base versions of the Taycan to market next year. They’re equipped with two permanent magnet synchronous motors one on each axle which can deliver a maximum power output of 560 kilowatts and 777 pound-feet of torque, enabling the higher-end version of the vehicle to hit 62 miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds and develop a top speed of 162 miles per hour. A newly developed automatically switching to speed transmission on the rear axle provides quick acceleration and improves efficiency at high speeds. The 90 3.4 kilowatt-hours high class lithium-ion battery pack which Porsche calls the performance battery plus is based on an eight hundred volt technology instead of the usual 400 volts for improved charging and drive performance. As a result, the Taycan will be the first production Road car capable of charging at a maximum rate of 270 kilowatts, that can deliver an 80 percent charge in just twenty-two point five minutes. The cheapest version comes with a seventy-nine point two kilowatt-hours battery pack with a total output of 390 kilowatts and 225 kilowatts charging capacity. Taycan models can achieve a real-world range of 225 to 255 miles on a full charge. The sport sedan comes with a luxury forward-thinking interior offering innovative digital assistant services through several touchscreen displays and the interactive voice assistant to access all relevant information and control a host of features inside and outside of the car. The Porsche Taycan will be delivered to Europe and the US in the first half of 2020 and has a starting price of around $104,000.
VW id3
Volkswagen has finally launched its first next-generation all-electric car, the id3, which is based on the company’s new MEB platform. The German giant is taking huge steps in electrifying the car industry. The automaker is investing intensively in an all-electric platform and has plans to convert some of their entire gasoline-powered car production capacity to electric vehicle production capacity. For example, the Zwickau factory where the id3 is being produced now is set to be fully converted by 2022 enabling it to produce three hundred and thirty thousand electric cars per year. The company offers three options of the id3 electric hatchback with different battery packs respectively. Offering an impressive range of 205 to 340 miles on a full charge, the automaker will first deliver the mid-range variant or the first edition but the price is only known for the basic version which costs around $33,000. Thanks to the absence of the internal combustion engine the id3 are much roomier on the inside compared to the company’s popular golf hatchback and come with intuitive user experience and a bunch of high-tech features. The vehicle is controlled by the 10-inch touchscreen display and touch-sensitive buttons throughout the cabin. The id3 comes with Volkswagen’s latest driver-assist features and communicates visually with its occupants thanks to the completely new intelligent ID light concept. The car will start being delivered to Europe in the middle of 2020.
Mini Cooper SE
BMW has launched its second all-electric car the Mini Cooper SE electric hatchback which is slated to arrive in the first quarter of 2020. The vehicle shares the iconic mini design and characteristics but comes with a completely different powertrain based on the BMW i3 electric powertrain. With a front-mounted electric motor that delivers a maximum 135-kilowatt power output and 200-pound feet of torque, the car can reach 62 miles per hour in 7.3 seconds, transferring the thrill of its agility and performance. The electric mini cooper SE offers three style options that come with their own innovative technology and features. With the battery’s energy content of thirty-two point six-kilowatt hours, the vehicle can achieve a real-world range of about 140 miles on a single charge. The electric Mini will be delivered to Europe in the US at the beginning of 2020 and in the US it will have a starting price of $29,900.
Peugeot e-208
French automobile manufacturer Peugeot has launched its first all-electric production car the e-208. The sharp and smart-looking five-door electric hatchback offers a smooth and instinctive driving experience. The vehicle comes with the same interior and cargo space as its gasoline-powered counterparts. Inside it features a 10-inch HD color touchscreen for the center display and a 3d instrument panel display for speed and battery information the front-mounted 100-kilowatt electric motor is powered by a 50-kilowatt hours battery pack for a range of 211 miles on a full charge. The electric hatchback will arrive in early 2020 and is now available to pre-order from Europe with a starting price of about $34,000. The French automaker also has plans to bring its production cars to the US and Canada by 2023.
Mercedes-Benz EQ
Mercedes-Benz unveiled its next-generation all-electric car under the EQ brand at the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show. The company intends to have more than 10 all-electric vehicles on the
market by 2022. The compact electric hatchback has aesthetic appeal thanks to the light technology featuring laser fibers the black panel at the front end acts as a virtual radiator grille and changes its look and color depending on drive modes. The vehicle will be equipped with two electric motors one on each axle for a total output of 200 kilowatts and 370 pound-feet of torque to send the EQA from 0 to 60 miles per hour in five seconds. With a 60-kilowatt hours highly efficient lithium-ion battery pack it can achieve a real-world range of more than 200 miles on a single charge. The price and precise delivery date is not clear but the EQA is expected to arrive in 2020 which one of these models would you like to be parked next to your house in the upcoming months tell us in the comments section below
It’s widely agreed that the future belongs to electricity. There is going to be a time when fossil fuels either run out, or become too ineffective for companies around the world who want to make a profit. However, no one is arguing that electric cars will be the future, it’s the technology that will be inside them that is the current talk of the town. Autonomous cars sound like a brilliant idea because they’re supposed to take out the human error or chance of one and make the roads safer. But there have been mishaps and even bad accidents when these types of cars are being tested. Indeed this technology is in its infancy, but these cars are still being developed. Other cars with a combustion engine, are in fact using radar systems to stop, start and drive the car for the driver. But putting your trust in the A.I. to drive for you leaves open some questions.
Cars like the BMW i3 are one of the main leaders in adaptive radar cruising. Put simply the car will essentially drive itself while on the motorway. Using complex computer systems that communicate with each other hundreds of times a second, the car will evaluate how fast and how far from the car in front, you should be going. However, it’s advisable for drivers to not use this system when the weather is not very good. Fog is the number one factor that can decide to block the sensors making it difficult for the A.I. to judge the distance of the car in front. However, even so, the ability to cruise at a calm and orderly pace, ever consistent, is seen far more efficient than any human being could achieve.
As recently as 2016 and 2017 Tesla Model X cars have been having major accidents while in their ‘autopilot’ mode. For some reason, the technology used in them doesn’t seem to recognise abnormal shapes even in clear weather. A truck was driven into by a Model X, and the only thing that saved the driver was the sturdiness of the design. This is just one of the tales that adaptive cruise control users can tell you. One would think now, the car accident lawyer contacting has gone up because of this. This is relevant to people who have been driven into by an electric car. You’re entitled to file a lawsuit with a big chance of winning if you have been injured, need money to fix or even replace your car, lost wages due to staying home to recuperate and payment for medical bills. Suddenly this futuristic technology looks like it’s more hassle than it’s worth, in its current stage of development.
Trusting A.I. is something that we’d all like to do, not just because it’s cool and it excites us to see machines being accurate and working well but also because human error is taken out of the equation. However, those who want to buy an electric car may find that they should stick to driving it themselves and not rely on cruise control software just yet.
Following the reveal of the Tesla Semi tonight, Elon Musk pulled out a huge surprise: the new Roadster. Yes, the Tesla Roadster is back, and we’ll apparently see it on the road sometime in 2020. The performance is said to be absolutely staggering. Whether or not it’s worth the hype, well, we’ll leave that up to you. But these preliminary details indicate something super cool is on the way.
Let’s cut right to the chase:
7,376 pound-feet of torque. Yes, you read that correctly.
0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds, making it the quickest production car in the world.
0-100 mph in 4.2 seconds.
Quarter mile in 8.8 seconds, which beats every other production car.
250+ mph top speed.
620 miles of highway range.
As Elon points out, according to this data, you’ll be able to drive the new Roadster from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back on one charge, at highway speeds. And by the way, these numbers are only for the prototype car shown tonight. The production car could be even quicker, with more range, and a higher top end. We’ll believe it when we see it, of course, but man, that’s incredible.
The new Roadster will use three electric motors – one in the front and two in the back – giving it through-the-road all-wheel drive. The incredible power comes courtesy of a 250-kilowatt-hour battery. True to its name, you’ll be able to remove the roof. And for added practicality, it’ll seat four people… well, okay, two and some grocery bags.
Want one? You’ll need $50,000 to reserve one, and the base price will be $200,000. Or you can be one of 1,000 people to order a Founders Series car, which costs a full $250,000, right up front.
See it for yourself in the high-res gallery below, or head to Tesla’s site for more information.
When the Tesla Model S was new, it seemed like nobody would dare tarnish such an prestigious and technologically advanced automobile. Like you wouldn’t put a spoiler on a Ferrari or a body kit on a Lamborghini, right? But nowadays, it’s possible to find a used Tesla Model S for under $30,000, so younger and younger people are starting to get their hands on it. More and more owners are tinkering with rims, tinted windows, body kits, and body wraps. Some rental companies are using modded out Teslas to promote their business as well. Particularly in the middle east, well endowed people in the oil rich nations are getting really creative with their Teslas. Below are some of the more notable, wild, and/or insane Tesla modifications I’ve seen on Instagram.
A matte black Tesla Model S with red accents.
https://instagram.com/p/BVj-MDClh-l/
That I don’t know what you call it metallic pearl color changing purple blue chameleon paint job with rims on a Tesla.
https://instagram.com/p/BVlNGnfl2Zo/
A Tesla Model S with a body kit and sport rims with red brake calipers.
https://instagram.com/p/BVXzPMHjBM3/
A matte black, murdered out, rest in peace Big Black Boykin, Tesla Model X.
https://instagram.com/p/BVU7XVMjjuk/
Follow the rainbow paint job, Tesla Model X.
https://instagram.com/p/BVFtvfIDfMF/
Rainbow 6 Winter camo wrap, Tesla Model S.
https://instagram.com/p/BT-IfT4joxU/
Wannabe internal combustion engine exhaust pipes, Model S.
https://instagram.com/p/BT9cbpJDhti/
Ketogenic diet body wrap, Model X?
https://instagram.com/p/BTOA7j1DAEE/
Pretty mean body kit, Tesla Model S.
https://instagram.com/p/BSvRVEFjPjQ/
Super conceptual design, Model S.
https://instagram.com/p/BStuqYADsIF/
You’ve gotta be kidding me, an all electric hearse, Tesla Model S.
https://instagram.com/p/BVRY_Dzj52j/
