The black cab is an icon on London streets and has found its way to other cities around the world too. But despite keeping its traditional shape, the black cab has been electric since 2017. Called the LEVC TX, it had sold over 7,000 units by May 2022. Now it’s had an upgrade. I took the new LEVC TX for a drive around London amongst other places to find out if it’s the ultimate city taxi.
Fossil fuel engines are at their least economical in urban environments. The low speeds and stop-start nature of city driving make internal combustion extremely inefficient. Electric vehicles are much better suited to these conditions, which is why so many Uber drivers use Toyota Prius hybrids. But an all-electric drivetrain is even better, making full use of the efficiency of regenerative braking. That said, charging infrastructure is still problematic, even in a city with lots of EVs like London.
LEVC TX: Further Range Extension
The LEVC TX was designed to enjoy the best of both worlds. It’s a range extender, like the BMW i3 Rex, which means that it has a big battery, and the wheels are driven exclusively by an electric motor, unlike a hybrid (including the plug-in variety). But there is still a fossil fuel engine, which serves purely as a generator, kicking in when the state of charge drops below a certain level. The advantage is that most driving can be performed with the battery, but if a longer journey is required (say a last-minute airport fare) or a working charger can’t be located, there’s a tank of gasoline and a filling station to call upon instead. This is valuable for a working vehicle, where time is money.
The original TX (previously called the TX5, and still referred to with this name in some regions), came with a 33kWh LG Chem battery pack, of which 31kWh was usable. The new version seems like a minor update, with a 34.6kWh battery, but further efficiency upgrades mean the all-electric range is now 78 WLTP miles rather than 64, a 22% improvement. The number of miles a London black cab does a day is hard to obtain accurately, but most estimates are between 70 and 150 miles. In other words, the new TX could do most of a light working day on battery alone, although a heavy day would require a lunchtime charge. However, it’s also worth noting that a lot of taxi drivers live outside the cities they work in, so transit to and from the urban areas for the day needs to be factored in.
The internal combustion engine relies on a 36-liter (9.5 US gallons) tank, giving it a 255-mile range. This is an 81hp 1.5-liter unit made by Volvo, but the electric motor delivers 148hp to the wheels, which is perfectly adequate despite the 2,230kg weight. During my testing, which involved a fair bit of motorway driving from London to Nottingham, the efficiency was around 2 miles per kWh, implying an all-electric range of just over 60 miles. But the TX is not the most aerodynamic vehicle around, so you will probably get closer to the WLTP rating if you stick to the 20mph limits in most of London.
The TX only offers 50kW DC charging, but that’s not such a problem with such a small battery. The standard charging port (in Europe at least) is CCS, but it’s optionally possible to have a CHAdeMO port as well, which my test car included. There’s an optional 22kW AC upgrade, too, which would enable a 1.5-hour charge on three-phase power. Otherwise, a more typical 7kW AC charger would take 4.5-5 hours, which is easy to achieve overnight on a cheap tariff. I stopped on a motorway and managed to replenish from 8% to 93% with a DC charger in the time it took to buy and eat some fast food, so a quick lunch break top-up is entirely feasible.
LEVC TX: Designed Inside To Be A Taxi
Of course, there are lots of pure BEVs that will easily do an entire working day on battery alone. But the TX is a very special vehicle, as it’s a purpose-built taxi. It is huge, although most of that is because it’s nearly 1.9m tall. The 4.9m length and under 1.9m width are big but not as ungainly on London streets as the BMW i7 or the Lotus Eletre. The height in the cabin means you can almost stand up inside the car. The basic Icon car has five seats in the back, but if you opt for any of the three Vista variants, you get six. The three chairs facing backwards all have seats that fold down, so there is loads of space if these aren’t occupied. The seat nearest the door on the passenger side also rotates out so a passenger with a disability can more easily sit down and then be rotated inwards.
If you go for the Vista Comfort or Comfort Plus versions of the TX, there’s a panoramic sunroof to further enhance the sense of interior space. A sunroof on a London taxi is such a no brainer when there is so much historic scenery to see around you as you travel. Another feature of the Vista versions of the TX is a ramp for a wheelchair. This pulls out from under the floor very easily on the passenger side. It can be deployed in a matter of seconds and can be slid back under the floor in a similarly short time. There’s a harness under the floor in the front of the cab that can be used to secure a wheelchair in place.
There’s a plastic screen permanently in place between driver and passengers, so buttons for the driver and passengers are available to operate an intercom. This is perfectly audible, even at motorway speeds. Rear passengers also have their own control over air conditioning fan speed, although the buttons are only on one side and are for the entire cabin.
One thing the TX doesn’t have is luggage space behind the passengers. Instead, the area where a front passenger would sit offers 440 liters, which is enough for two large suitcases. Then, of course, there’s the floor of the passenger space. I managed to take one of my sons back to university in this cab, and there was plenty of space for all his stuff plus him and another occupant. Airport runs will be a doddle.
The TX isn’t a driver’s car, obviously, so I’m not going to spend much time on this aspect. However, while it takes a relatively sedate 12.8 seconds to reach 60mph, the electric motor means pulling away from the lights is quick enough, and the car doesn’t feel cumbersome. The steering is quite light and readily maneuverable at urban speeds. It feels composed at highway speeds too, although it only has a maximum of 80mph.
The driver’s seat is comfortable enough for a full day’s work, and passengers will be fine for an hour or so. However, having driven to Nottingham and back (over two hours each way), I can confirm that this is not a car that passengers will want to spend this length of time in. The ride quality is surprisingly good on London’s rough roads, however, and this is clearly (and obviously) where the TX is most at home. London taxi regulations also call for a turning circle with a 4.23m (13.9ft) radius, and this must be seen to be believed. The TX can perform a U-turn in a typical British road, which is an incredible feat for such a big car.
LEVC TX: Rudimentary Infotainment
The TX is therefore extremely well designed for its use as a taxi. However, if there is one downside it’s the infotainment, which feels about a decade out of date. The 9in portrait display includes a rudimentary satnav. This does have keyword and postcode entry, as well as live traffic (although this wasn’t active on my test car). However, the settings screens, while touch operated, are very much functional rather than aesthetic. You also need this screen for most of the air conditioning controls.
The backwards nature of the infotainment is a surprise when you consider that LEVC is part of Chinese automotive behemoth Geely, which also owns Volvo, Polestar, Zeekr and Lotus. There’s no wireless phone charging nor support for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, either, although there is a rail designed for attaching a mount for a device such as a tablet.
The digital instrument panel mimics analog dials, which is fine, as the information provided is what you need. The basic controls are easy to operate, too, with a joystick-like lever to select drive, reverse and neutral with forwards and backwards motions. Pushing the joystick left or right varies regeneration level. Turning the vehicle on requires a rotation of a knob, so long as you have the key fob on you. There are separate buttons for the electronic parking brake and auto hold.
LEVC TX: Still The King of Cabs?
Black cabs have never been cheap, and the LEVC TX is no exception. However, the price list is skewed in Lonon because of the £7,500 ($9,500) Plug-in Taxi Grant, which is only available for vehicles that offer wheelchair access. The basic Icon version costs £66,433 ($84,000), but doesn’t have the ramp as standard, so doesn’t qualify. Adding this option is therefore a no brainer, as it drops the price under £60,000 ($76,000). The Vista costs £62,719 ($79,600). The Comfort and Comfort Plus pack then add £2,640 ($3,350) and £4,140 ($5,250) respectively to the Vista.
While one of the reasons for the TX going electric has been emissions regulations in cities, such as London’s Ultra-Low Emissions Zone, running costs can be another. So long as cheap overnight electricity is available, the TX can be incredibly inexpensive per mile – less than 4p (5 cents). Running this vehicle on fossil fuel is likely to be six times more expensive. The economic viability of this cab revolves around how cheaply you can charge it before a day’s work.
The LEVC TX is expensive, but it does offer unique capabilities. Nevertheless, the time is fast approaching when a full-electric version is due. Charging infrastructure is improving, as is battery tech. Throw in a more modern infotainment system from the rest of the Geely group, and the TX can continue to be the most iconic taxi on the planet. This update does just about enough to remain a valid taxi choice – for now. But further modernization beckons.
