Electric black cabs
 

I've seen them on the streets for a while up until now from a distance. Today
I saw one up close - they're pretty big brutes. Bigger than a current diesel
cab and bigger , though lower , than a range rover I suspect. I'm sure thats
nice for the cabbie and the passengers but it can't help the range much
dragging that much mass about.

Electric black cabs
 

On 03/07/2018 12:42, wrote:
I've seen them on the streets for a while up until now from a distance. Today
I saw one up close - they're pretty big brutes. Bigger than a current diesel
cab and bigger , though lower , than a range rover I suspect. I'm sure thats
nice for the cabbie and the passengers but it can't help the range much
dragging that much mass about.

As it's a six seater, it's more of a replacement for the Mercedes van
conversions than the TX4, so the passengers get the same space each if
fully loaded, as there has to be space for the built in wheelchair ramp.

It is also built using fibreglass panels cladding an aluminium frame,
so even adding the battery weight, it weighs, according to LEVC, less
than the current cabs.

https://www.levc.com/technology/body-structure/

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

Electric black cabs
 

John Williamson wrote:
On 03/07/2018 12:42, wrote:
I've seen them on the streets for a while up until now from a distance. Today
I saw one up close - they're pretty big brutes. Bigger than a current diesel
cab and bigger , though lower , than a range rover I suspect. I'm sure thats
nice for the cabbie and the passengers but it can't help the range much
dragging that much mass about.

As it's a six seater, it's more of a replacement for the Mercedes van
conversions than the TX4, so the passengers get the same space each if
fully loaded, as there has to be space for the built in wheelchair ramp.

It is also built using fibreglass panels cladding an aluminium frame,
so even adding the battery weight, it weighs, according to LEVC, less
than the current cabs.

https://www.levc.com/technology/body-structure/


Yes, LEVC seems to have used some of the lightweight body construction
techniques of sister company Lotus. And the engine comes from Volvo,
another sister company.

Electric black cabs
 

On 03/07/2018 16:42, Recliner wrote:
Yes, LEVC seems to have used some of the lightweight body construction
techniques of sister company Lotus. And the engine comes from Volvo,
another sister company.

Wonders what Lode Lane in Solihull would have come up with.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

Electric black cabs
 

On Tue, 3 Jul 2018 16:20:19 +0100
John Williamson wrote:
On 03/07/2018 12:42, wrote:
I've seen them on the streets for a while up until now from a distance. Today

I saw one up close - they're pretty big brutes. Bigger than a current diesel
cab and bigger , though lower , than a range rover I suspect. I'm sure thats
nice for the cabbie and the passengers but it can't help the range much
dragging that much mass about.

As it's a six seater, it's more of a replacement for the Mercedes van
conversions than the TX4, so the passengers get the same space each if
fully loaded, as there has to be space for the built in wheelchair ramp.

It is also built using fibreglass panels cladding an aluminium frame,
so even adding the battery weight, it weighs, according to LEVC, less
than the current cabs.

https://www.levc.com/technology/body-structure/

Interesting. Browsing the site it seems these cars have a petrol engine
range extender too. If they have to use that I can imagine the cabbies will
be able to here the sound of the money being sucked from their wallets.

Unfortunaley there are few specifics on the site and I'm not giving all
my details just to download a pdf. Pity.

Electric black cabs
 

On 03/07/2018 16:56, wrote:
On Tue, 3 Jul 2018 16:20:19 +0100
John Williamson wrote:
On 03/07/2018 12:42, wrote:
I've seen them on the streets for a while up until now from a distance. Today

I saw one up close - they're pretty big brutes. Bigger than a current diesel
cab and bigger , though lower , than a range rover I suspect. I'm sure thats
nice for the cabbie and the passengers but it can't help the range much
dragging that much mass about.

As it's a six seater, it's more of a replacement for the Mercedes van
conversions than the TX4, so the passengers get the same space each if
fully loaded, as there has to be space for the built in wheelchair ramp.

It is also built using fibreglass panels cladding an aluminium frame,
so even adding the battery weight, it weighs, according to LEVC, less
than the current cabs.

https://www.levc.com/technology/body-structure/

Interesting. Browsing the site it seems these cars have a petrol engine
range extender too. If they have to use that I can imagine the cabbies will
be able to here the sound of the money being sucked from their wallets.

Unfortunaley there are few specifics on the site and I'm not giving all
my details just to download a pdf. Pity.

I do wonder as and when we move to primarily electric vehicles whether
that will change the desirability of a large chunk of London housing
which is close to major roads - if the noise reduces dramatically and
the pollution pretty much disappears...

Electric black cabs
 

On Tue, 3 Jul 2018 17:28:16 +0100
Someone Somewhere wrote:
On 03/07/2018 16:56, wrote:
Interesting. Browsing the site it seems these cars have a petrol engine
range extender too. If they have to use that I can imagine the cabbies will
be able to here the sound of the money being sucked from their wallets.

Unfortunaley there are few specifics on the site and I'm not giving all
my details just to download a pdf. Pity.

I do wonder as and when we move to primarily electric vehicles whether
that will change the desirability of a large chunk of London housing
which is close to major roads - if the noise reduces dramatically and
the pollution pretty much disappears...

I can't remember the exact speed, but at something very roughly around 30mph
most vehicle noises comes from the tyres anyway so on high speed roads it
won't make much difference noise wise. On rows with slow moving traffic OTOH it
could improve residents lives immensely.

Seems to me the range and performance of electric vehicles is now good enough
for most people. The problem is charging. Along with probably the majority of
people in this country I don't have a driveway and trailing a cable out into
the street across the pavement simply isn't an option, nor is sitting at
a service station for 2 hours.

Electric black cabs
 

On 04/07/2018 10:07, wrote:

Seems to me the range and performance of electric vehicles is now good enough
for most people. The problem is charging. Along with probably the majority of
people in this country I don't have a driveway and trailing a cable out into
the street across the pavement simply isn't an option, nor is sitting at
a service station for 2 hours.

In a number of residential areas, they are now installing kerbside fast
chargers for residents to use.

The other side of it is that where there used to be a single charging
system, with connectors for all cars available and a single payment
method, which was academic, as they were mostly free, increased
popularity has led to queueing for charging points, and a number of
incompatible systems to pay for the charge, with Visa not being an
option, so electric car drivers now need to have a number of accounts
to ensure they can get a charge (Unless they are Tesla drivers, in which
case, they can only use Tesla chargers...(Are Tesla the Apple of the
electric car world?)).

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

Electric black cabs
 

On 04/07/2018 10:07, wrote:
On Tue, 3 Jul 2018 17:28:16 +0100
Someone Somewhere wrote:
On 03/07/2018 16:56, wrote:
Interesting. Browsing the site it seems these cars have a petrol engine
range extender too. If they have to use that I can imagine the cabbies will
be able to here the sound of the money being sucked from their wallets.

Unfortunaley there are few specifics on the site and I'm not giving all
my details just to download a pdf. Pity.

I do wonder as and when we move to primarily electric vehicles whether
that will change the desirability of a large chunk of London housing
which is close to major roads - if the noise reduces dramatically and
the pollution pretty much disappears...

I can't remember the exact speed, but at something very roughly around 30mph
most vehicle noises comes from the tyres anyway so on high speed roads it
won't make much difference noise wise. On rows with slow moving traffic OTOH it
could improve residents lives immensely.


So, London then?

Electric black cabs
 

On Wed, 4 Jul 2018 10:41:36 +0100
John Williamson wrote:
On 04/07/2018 10:07, wrote:

Seems to me the range and performance of electric vehicles is now good enough

for most people. The problem is charging. Along with probably the majority of

people in this country I don't have a driveway and trailing a cable out into
the street across the pavement simply isn't an option, nor is sitting at
a service station for 2 hours.

In a number of residential areas, they are now installing kerbside fast
chargers for residents to use.

The obvious problem with those is some kids coming along late at night and
finding it hilarious to unplug all the cars in a road so no one has charge
in the morning. Unless they factor in the human element with secure locking
systems it just won't work.

to ensure they can get a charge (Unless they are Tesla drivers, in which
case, they can only use Tesla chargers...(Are Tesla the Apple of the
electric car world?)).

Their car interiors certainly give that impression. All a bit minimalist with
a nice looking but not very usable dashboard. Putting every single function
into a touchscreen is just idiotic - I don't want to have to pull over just
to change the feckin aircon setting, never mind the radio.