The electric London taxi introduced in 2017 is the LEVC TX. It is a purpose-built black cab from the London EV Company, or LEVC, rather than a converted passenger car.
The TX is technically a plug-in hybrid range-extender vehicle: an electric motor drives the wheels, while a petrol engine generates electricity when needed. This design gives it useful electric range without depending entirely on charging infrastructure.
Its arrival followed Transport for London rules requiring newly licensed taxis from 2018 to be zero-emission capable. The TX also preserves traditional London-taxi features, including a very tight turning circle, wheelchair access, a folding ramp, and rear coach doors.
The TX replaced the TX4 in LEVC’s line-up. The Nissan NV200 was proposed as a London taxi but was not the model introduced by LEVC, while the Austin FX4 and TX4 belong to earlier generations of black cabs.