Clipper to showcase strategy to electrify 10,000 London taxis
Clipper Automotive, the start-up electric vehicle company, will showcase how it can save up to 10,000 London TX4 taxis from scrappage with its electric conversion.
Clipper will be showing visitors to MOVE 2023, which takes place at London’s ExCel from the 21st-22nd June, the significant environmental and financial benefits of its 100% electric London TX4 taxi conversion, which is already approved for licensing by Oxford, Birmingham and Edinburgh City Councils.
Currently going through the TfL licensing process, the electric conversion provides a lifeline to keep 6,000 London-based TX4 cabs on the road when the extended ULEZ comes into force later this year.
The all-electric Clipper Cab presents a solution to not only save cabs from the scrapyard and contributing to cleaner air in the capital, but also boosting sustainable urban mobility and lowering operating costs for hard-working taxi drivers. Across the UK, there are a further 4,000 TX4 cabs that can be converted to keep working in the growing number of low emission zones.
The Clipper Cab is the first vehicle to be offered by Clipper Automotive, with the business planning to apply its technology to other vehicle types in due course. To help it launch its first fleet of converted cabs, the company currently has a funding round open in partnership with Centrus.
The innovative conversion sees the TX4’s factory diesel engine replaced with a pure-electric drivetrain, utilising Clipper’s own bespoke driveshaft, battery boxes and integrated control units. The batteries and electric motors are second-life units, sourced from the original and well-proven Nissan LEAF. This keeps the cost manageable and further reduces manufacturing emissions, while still providing a level of performance and range that are more than a match for a London cab’s requirements.
All the original benefits of the TX4 remain too, including the tight turning circle, strong spares availability, and the popularity with customers.
Dr Alex Howard, founder of Clipper Automotive, said: “We are delighted to be at MOVE 2023, the event being exceptionally relevant for us given what we are striving to achieve, both in terms of its focus and its central London location. We have an excellent solution that has the potential to significantly reduce air and noise pollution in the capital while saving a national icon, and we are looking forward to outlining our vision with an audience that shares our passion for innovation and sustainability.”
