Hundreds of London’s black cabs are to start appearing on the roads of Amsterdam next year, powered by batteries instead of diesel, marking the first international sale for Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd’s (吉利汽車) new electric taxi.
Rotterdam Mobility Center (RMC) agreed to a 225-vehicle deal for the new all-electric taxi that meets new pollution rules in the Dutch capital.
They are to be delivered from a factory near Coventry, England, in the first quarter of next year, the companies said yesterday.
Photo: Bloomberg
The sale marks a new phase for London Taxi Co (LTC), which is planning to expand its reach beyond the UK with its new battery-powered model called the TX that was designed in Barcelona, Spain, and unveiled yesterday.
From September, LTC is to be renamed London EV Co (LEVC) to reflect the ￡325 million (US$419.8 million) electrification investment by its Chinese owner, Geely.
The cab’s trademark turning circle and roomy interior suits the narrow streets of Amsterdam, as well as requirements for wheelchair users, RMC director of services Albert Donlou said in an interview.
Designers were keen to ensure the “face” of the new cab conveyed a message that the driver was reliable and serious, yet friendly, and was neither too cute nor too aggressive or retro, Geely Design Barcelona managing director David Ancona said.
Geely wants to tap into the global market for low-emission vehicles.
More than half of new cars sold globally would come with a plug by 2040, led by cities in Europe, China and the US, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
“The launch of LEVC marks Britain’s leadership as a first mover in creating the world’s only dedicated electric vehicle company for the urban commercial market,” LTC CEO Chris Gubbey said in a statement.
LTC unveiled the first version of the new cab, named the TX. It retains key elements of the classic model, including doors that open 90° backward, and it is powered by a battery and a small gasoline generator, known as a range extender.
That allows a driver to travel from London to Edinburgh, or even Paris, without needing to refuel, the statement said.
The price of the TX is to be announced on Aug. 1, when order books open for individual drivers, an LTC spokesman said by e-mail.
The new taxi is to go on sale in London in the fourth quarter, and in the first quarter of next year in the rest of the world.
UNCERTAINTY: Innolux activated a stringent supply chain management mechanism, as it did during the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure optimal inventory levels for customers Flat-panel display makers AUO Corp (友達) and Innolux Corp (群創) yesterday said that about 12 to 20 percent of their display business is at risk of potential US tariffs and that they would relocate production or shipment destinations to mitigate the levies’ effects. US tariffs would have a direct impact of US$200 million on AUO’s revenue, company chairman Paul Peng (彭雙浪) told reporters on the sidelines of the Touch Taiwan trade show in Taipei yesterday. That would make up about 12 percent of the company’s overall revenue. To cope with the tariff uncertainty, AUO plans to allocate its production to manufacturing facilities in
TAKING STOCK: A Taiwanese cookware firm in Vietnam urged customers to assess inventory or place orders early so shipments can reach the US while tariffs are paused Taiwanese businesses in Vietnam are exploring alternatives after the White House imposed a 46 percent import duty on Vietnamese goods, following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of “reciprocal” tariffs on the US’ trading partners. Lo Shih-liang (羅世良), chairman of Brico Industry Co (裕茂工業), a Taiwanese company that manufactures cast iron cookware and stove components in Vietnam, said that more than 40 percent of his business was tied to the US market, describing the constant US policy shifts as an emotional roller coaster. “I work during the day and stay up all night watching the news. I’ve been following US news until 3am
Taiwan will prioritize the development of silicon photonics by taking advantage of its strength in the semiconductor industry to build another shield to protect the local economy, National Development Council (NDC) Minister Paul Liu (劉鏡清) said yesterday. Speaking at a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee, Liu said Taiwan already has the artificial intelligence (AI) industry as a shield, after the semiconductor industry, to safeguard the country, and is looking at new unique fields to build more economic shields. While Taiwan will further strengthen its existing shields, over the longer term, the country is determined to focus on such potential segments as
COLLABORATION: Given Taiwan’s key position in global supply chains, the US firm is discussing strategies with local partners and clients to deal with global uncertainties Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) yesterday said it is meeting with local ecosystem partners, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), to discuss strategies, including long-term manufacturing, to navigate uncertainties such as US tariffs, as Taiwan occupies an important position in global supply chains. AMD chief executive officer Lisa Su (蘇姿丰) told reporters that Taiwan is an important part of the chip designer’s ecosystem and she is discussing with partners and customers in Taiwan to forge strong collaborations on different areas during this critical period. AMD has just become the first artificial-intelligence (AI) server chip customer of TSMC to utilize its advanced
RSS