London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) has announced a battery upgrade for new TX taxis and VN5 vans, offering greater efficiency when driving with the electric motor and lower CO2 emissions.
The 34.6 kWh unit upgrades LEVC’s state-of-the-art eCity powertrain, offering increased capacity (up from 31 kWh) and greater efficiency, with even lower CO2 emissions for the TX and VN5, bolstering the contribution of LEVC’s vehicles to improving urban air quality.
Thanks to the new battery, the TX taxi now emits just 14g/km of CO2 while the VN5 emits 17g/km (both down from 19g/km). Drivers and owner operators are driving further too, with TX’s electric-only range now 78 miles (up from 64 miles) and its total range increasing to 333 miles (up from 318 miles). VN5’s electric-only range improves to 73 miles (up from 64 miles) and 328 miles* in total (up from 318 miles).
Alex Nan, CEO of LEVC, said: “With thousands of our vehicles sold around the world, LEVC’s eCity technology is the powertrain choice for the modern taxi driver. The updated battery further bolsters the already compelling business case for our customers, with significant benefits for drivers, owner operator, while helping to improve air quality in urban environments.
“Our award-winning TX continues to satisfy demand for clean and accessible mobility demands the world over. With new markets adopting the TX, we’re proud to be making such a significant contribution to improving air quality in more than 20 markets.”
> London Borough to have over 2,000 EV charging points by 2024
The TX, which LEVC describes as the “world’s most advanced electric taxi”, is a plug-in hybrid range extender and was designed to comply with Transport for London’s regulations. LEVC has manufactured it at its Ansty facility in Coventry since 2017, along with the similarly functioning VN5 van since 2019.
The first TX taxi was delivered in January 2018 in London, and now there are more than 8,500 vehicles built by LEVC, formerly called the London Taxi Company, on roads, and not just in London but across Europe.
The upgraded battery for TX and VN5 follows LEVC’s recent announcement regarding its innovative new pure electric vehicle technology, which will transform the brand from a high-end taxi manufacturer to a leading provider of e-mobility solutions.
LEVC’s Space Oriented Architecture (SOA) is the world’s first EV platform focused on setting new standards for onboard space. The architecture will bring interior-optimised, zero-emission mobility to more consumers than ever before, while enabling LEVC to enter new sectors, outside of the existing TX and VN5 models.
