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LEVC TX

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LEVC TX
2019 LEVC TX Vista
Overview
ManufacturerLondon EV Company (Geely)
Production2017–present
AssemblyUnited Kingdom: Coventry (Ansty Park plant)
China: Yiwu (Geely)
Body and chassis
Body styleHackney carriage
LayoutFront-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Doors
RelatedLEVC VN5
Powertrain
Engine
Electric motor2x 110 kW (150 PS) Siemens permanent magnet synchronous
Hybrid drivetrainPlug-in series hybrid
Battery31 kW·h, 400 V lithium ion
Range377 mi (607 km)
Electric range80.6 mi (129.7 km)
Plug-in charging
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,986 mm (117.6 in)
Length4,857 mm (191.2 in)
Width1,874 mm (73.8 in)
Height1,888 mm (74.3 in)
Kerb weight2,230 kg (4,916 lb)
Chronology
PredecessorTX4

The LEVC TX[1] (previously known as the TX5) is a purpose-built hackney carriage manufactured by the British commercial vehicle maker London EV Company (LEVC), a subsidiary of the Chinese carmaker Geely.[2] It is the latest in a succession of purpose-built hackney carriages produced by LEVC and various predecessor entities. The LEVC TX is a plug-in hybrid range-extender electric vehicle.[2][3]

The vehicle is designed to comply with Transport for London’s Taxi Private Hire regulations, which banned new diesel-powered taxis from January 2018, requiring zero-emissions capability.[4]

Background

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In the late 2000s, Geely was in talks over the possibility of converting London's black cabs into electric-powered vehicles.[5] From 2014, Geely invested £480m in LEVC to develop a new taxi, with a new factory to be built near Coventry.[6][7][8] Geely hoped to manufacture 36,000 vehicles per annum.[9] The vehicle entered production in 2017.[6]

In January 2020, LEVC announced plans to market the TX in Japan[10] with Fleetway and Service Company as the Japanese distributor.[11] Deliveries were reported to be made in Q2 2020.[11]

LEVC reported that taxis were sold in Azerbaijan for Baku Taxi Service in March 2020.[12]

Technical

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Rear view

The LEVC TX is built on a unique platform, underpinned by a bonded aluminium chassis built in the UK, giving the LEVC TX a 32 percent parts localisation rate by value. China and Europe each account for 32 percent of the content, while United States content is 4 percent.[13]

The vehicle's styling is an evolution of the now iconic shape begun with the original Austin FX4 of 1958, and the later TX1/TXII/TX4 series, although the distinctive rear hinged "suicide doors" last seen on the FX4 have returned.

The LEVC TX is powered by a full-electric hybrid drivetrain. It drives in full-electric mode all the time, but is recharged by an 81-horsepower (60 kW; 82 PS) Volvo-sourced 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine.

The LEVC TX is fitted with a 33 kilowatt-hours (120 MJ) battery pack supplied by LG Chem, and powers a 110-kilowatt (148 hp; 150 PS) Siemens-built electric motor for traction.[14]

When the battery pack has insufficient charge to power the vehicle, the petrol engine is claimed to achieve 36.7 mpg‑imp (7.7 L/100 km; 30.6 mpg‑US).[15]

Suicide doors on the TX

The charge connectors are mounted either side of the radiator grille, and are a CCS socket, capable of 50 kW DC and 22 kW AC, and an optional 50 kW capable CHAdeMO connector.[16]

In accordance to London taxi regulation, the LEVC TX offers a turning circle of 8.45 metres (27.7 ft) (4.23 m (13.9 ft) of radius) which made possible by the front wheels that turn up to 63 degrees, instead of the typical 38 degrees.[17][18] The LEVC TX also has a wheelchair ramp, which can be manually deployed by the driver when required.

Service history

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The TX took advantage of 2018 Transport for London rules that allowed only zero-emission capable vehicles to become additions to the city's taxi fleet.[19] By February 2018 it was the only taxi capable of meeting these rules.[19][20]

By April 2022, over 5,000 TX vehicles has been sold in London, around a third of London's taxi fleet.[21] In May 2022, LEVC announced that over 7,000 taxis had been sold worldwide.[22]

Outside London, the TX5 also serves as a taxi in Austria,[23] Australia,[24] Azerbaijan,[25] China,[24] Denmark,[11] France,[11] Germany,[26] India,[27] Israel,[28][29] Japan,[30] Poland,[31] Spain[32] and Switzerland.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "TX – Price and Specification Guide". LEVC. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b Anthony, Sebastian (23 March 2017). "Electric TX5 black cabs start rolling off the production line". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  3. ^ Allan, Lawrence (5 December 2017). "New 'TX' electric London Taxi priced at £55,599". Autocar Express. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Emissions standards for taxis". Transport for London. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Geely: we'll make an electric London Cab". China Car Times. China Times. 20 October 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  6. ^ a b Reynolds, Matt (29 May 2018). "An obscure Chinese firm has taken over London's black cabs. Its next target? Beat Uber at its own game". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  7. ^ "London EV Company – Zhejiang Geely Holding Group". Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  8. ^ "London Taxi Company Coventry plant to create 1,000 jobs". BBC. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  9. ^ "City AM". 20 May 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  10. ^ "LEVC Taxi heads to Japan".
  11. ^ a b c d e "Approved Used".
  12. ^ "LEVC TX black cabs turn red for Azerbaijan".
  13. ^ Gibbs, Nick (24 April 2017). "How Volvo helped to electrify the London black cab". Automotive News. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  14. ^ "Where Tradition Intersects with Contemporaneity". Automotive Design & Production. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  15. ^ "TX Cost comparison fuel savings". www.levc.com. 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  16. ^ "Levc TX Price and Specification". www.levc.com. April 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  17. ^ "Taxi for Reid: Rory tests London's new plug-in black cab Reviews 2023". Top Gear. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  18. ^ "British Built Cars | LEVC – TX taxi/TX Shuttle". www.britishbuiltcars.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  19. ^ a b Topham, Gwyn (6 March 2018). "London black cabs hail Treasury for scrapping car tax". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  20. ^ "Cleaner greener taxis". TFL. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  21. ^ "LEVC CELEBRATES SALE OF 5000TH TX ELECTRIC TAXI IN LONDON". LEVC. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  22. ^ "LEVC CELEBRATES MILESTONE OF 7,000 GLOBAL ELECTRIC TAXI SALES". LEVC. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  23. ^ "LEVC appoints distributor in Austria".
  24. ^ a b "Geely Commercial Vehicles Enter Southeast Asia". Media Center – Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  25. ^ "Azerbaijan receives 100 red electric cabs from LEVC".
  26. ^ "Shuttle-Dienst in Hamburg nutzt elektrische London Taxis". www.kfz-betrieb.vogel.de (in German). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  27. ^ "Iconic London black cabs in India now in e-avtaar as MUVs". The Times of India. 31 March 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  28. ^ "LEVC'S GLOBAL EXPANSION CONTINUES WITH LAUNCH OF TX AND VN5 IN ISRAEL". LEVC. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  29. ^ "N12 – המוניות מלונדון מגיעות לישראל: כך הן ייראו". N12. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  30. ^ "Keio Taxi".
  31. ^ "Approved Used".
  32. ^ "Approved Used".
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