Engineering:LEVC TX

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LEVC TX
2019 LEVC TX Vista
Overview
ManufacturerLondon EV Company (Geely)
Production2017–present
AssemblyUnited Kingdom: Coventry (Ansty Park plant)
China: Yiwu (Geely)
Body and chassis
Body styleHackney carriage
LayoutFront-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Doors
RelatedLEVC VN5
Powertrain
Engine
Electric motor2x 110 kW (150 PS) Siemens permanent magnet synchronous
Hybrid drivetrainPlug-in series hybrid
Battery31 kW·h, 400 V lithium ion
Range377 mi (607 km)
Electric range80.6 mi (129.7 km)
Plug-in charging
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,986 mm (117.6 in)
Length4,857 mm (191.2 in)
Width1,874 mm (73.8 in)
Height1,888 mm (74.3 in)
uk|uk|Kerb|Curb}} weight2,230 kg (4,916 lb)
Chronology
PredecessorTX4

The LEVC TX[1] (previously known as the TX5) is a purpose-built hackney carriage manufactured by the British commercial vehicle maker London EV Company (LEVC), a subsidiary of the Chinese carmaker Geely.[2] It is the latest in a succession of purpose-built hackney carriages produced by LEVC and various predecessor entities. The LEVC TX is a plug-in hybrid range-extender electric vehicle.[2][3]

The vehicle is designed to comply with Transport for London’s Taxi Private Hire regulations, which banned new diesel-powered taxis from January 2018, requiring zero-emissions capability.[4]

Background

In the late 2000s, Geely was in talks over the possibility of converting London's black cabs into electric-powered vehicles.[5] From 2014, Geely invested £480m in LEVC to develop a new taxi, with a new factory to be built near Coventry.[6][7][8] Geely hoped to manufacture 36,000 vehicles per annum.[9] The vehicle entered production in 2017.[6]

In January 2020, LEVC announced plans to market the TX in Japan[10] with Fleetway and Service Company as the Japanese distributor.[11] Deliveries were reported to be made in Q2 2020.[11]

LEVC reported that taxis were sold in Azerbaijan for Baku Taxi Service in March 2020.[12]

Technical

Rear view

The LEVC TX is built on a unique platform, underpinned by a bonded aluminium chassis built in the UK, giving the LEVC TX a 32 percent parts localisation rate by value. China and Europe each account for 32 percent of the content, while United States content is 4 percent.[13]

The vehicle's styling is an evolution of the now iconic shape begun with the original Austin FX4 of 1958, and the later TX1/TXII/TX4 series, although the distinctive rear hinged "suicide doors" last seen on the FX4 have returned.

The LEVC TX is powered by a full-electric hybrid drivetrain. It drives in full-electric mode all the time, but is recharged by an 81-horsepower (60 kW; 82 PS) Volvo-sourced 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine.

The LEVC TX is fitted with a 33 kilowatt-hours (120 MJ) battery pack supplied by LG Chem, and powers a 110-kilowatt (148 hp; 150 PS) Siemens-built electric motor for traction.[14]

When the battery pack has insufficient charge to power the vehicle, the petrol engine is claimed to achieve 36.7 mpg‑imp (7.7 L/100 km; 30.6 mpg‑US).[15]

Suicide doors on the TX

The charge connectors are mounted either side of the radiator grille, and are a CCS socket, capable of 50 kW DC and 22 kW AC, and an optional 50 kW capable CHAdeMO connector.[16]

In accordance to London taxi regulation, the LEVC TX offers a turning circle of 8.45 metres (27.7 ft) (4.23 m (13.9 ft) of radius) which made possible by the front wheels that turn up to 63 degrees, instead of the typical 38 degrees.[17][18] The LEVC TX has a range of accessibility features including a wheelchair ramp (deployed by the driver when required), oversized entry doors, an audio induction loop and high contrast grab handles.[19][20]

Service history

The TX took advantage of Transport for London rules that allowed only zero-emission capable vehicles to become additions to the city's taxi fleet from 2018.[21] By February 2018 it was the only taxi capable of meeting these rules.[21][22]

By April 2022, over 5,000 TX vehicles has been sold in London, around a third of London's taxi fleet.[23] In May 2022, LEVC announced that over 7,000 taxis had been sold worldwide.[24] By December 2023, over half of London's taxi fleet were zero emission capable – with the majority being TXs.[25]

Outside London, the TX5 also serves as a taxi in Austria,[26] Australia,[27] Azerbaijan,[28] China,[27] Denmark,[11] France,[11] Germany,[29] India,[30] Israel,[31][32] Japan,[33] Poland,[34] Spain[35] and Switzerland.[11]

See also

  • LEVC VN5, a plug-in hybrid panel van based on the LEVC TX

References

  1. ↑ "TX – Price and Specification Guide" (in en). LEVC. http://www.levc.com/technology/tx-price-specification/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Anthony, Sebastian (23 March 2017). "Electric TX5 black cabs start rolling off the production line". Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.co.uk/cars/2017/03/electric-tx5-black-cabs-start-rolling-off-the-production-line/. 
  3. ↑ Allan, Lawrence (5 December 2017). "New 'TX' electric London Taxi priced at £55,599". Autocar Express (Dennis Publishing). http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/98450/new-tx-electric-london-taxi-priced-at-55599. 
  4. ↑ "Emissions standards for taxis" (in en-GB). https://www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/emissions-standards-for-taxis. 
  5. ↑ "Geely: we'll make an electric London Cab". China Times. 20 October 2008. http://www.chinacartimes.com/2008/10/20/geely-well-make-an-electric-london-cab/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Reynolds, Matt (29 May 2018). "An obscure Chinese firm has taken over London's black cabs. Its next target? Beat Uber at its own game" (in en-GB). Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/levc-geely-london-electric-black-taxis-cabs. Retrieved 2022-07-20. 
  7. ↑ "London EV Company – Zhejiang Geely Holding Group" (in en-US). http://zgh.com/our-brands/london-ev-company/?lang=en. 
  8. ↑ "London Taxi Company Coventry plant to create 1,000 jobs". BBC. 26 March 2015. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-32063233. 
  9. ↑ "City AM". 20 May 2016. http://www.cityam.com/. 
  10. ↑ "LEVC Taxi heads to Japan". https://uk.motor1.com/news/392479/levc-tx-taxi-japan/. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 "Approved Used". Archived from the original on 2023-08-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20230826053512/https://levc.auto.staging.netdirector.auto/corporate/news/levc-in-japan/. 
  12. ↑ "LEVC TX black cabs turn red for Azerbaijan". https://uk.motor1.com/news/404274/levc-tx-red-azerbaijan/. 
  13. ↑ Gibbs, Nick (24 April 2017). "How Volvo helped to electrify the London black cab" (in en). http://europe.autonews.com/article/20170424/ANE/170429944/how-volvo-helped-to-electrify-the-london-black-cab. 
  14. ↑ "Where Tradition Intersects with Contemporaneity". Automotive Design & Production. 30 November 2017. https://www.adandp.media/articles/the-london-cab-where-tradition-intersects-with-contemporaneity. 
  15. ↑ "TX Cost comparison fuel savings" (in en). 2018. https://www.levc.com/tx-cost-comparison/. 
  16. ↑ "Levc TX Price and Specification" (in en). April 2018. https://www.levc.com/file/brochure/?id=518. 
  17. ↑ "Taxi for Reid: Rory tests London's new plug-in black cab Reviews 2023" (in en). 4 December 2017. https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/ecity/first-drive. 
  18. ↑ "British Built Cars | LEVC – TX taxi/TX Shuttle". https://www.britishbuiltcars.co.uk/Cars/cardetail/525/LEVC/TX%20taxi/TX%20Shuttle. 
  19. ↑ "Guide to taxis and private hire" (in en-GB). https://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/taxis-and-minicabs/what-to-expect-from-your-journey. 
  20. ↑ "Accessibility". https://www.levc.com/corporate/accessibility/. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Topham, Gwyn (6 March 2018). "London black cabs hail Treasury for scrapping car tax". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/06/london-black-cabs-hail-treasury-for-scrapping-car-tax. 
  22. ↑ "Cleaner greener taxis". https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/cleaner-greener-taxis. 
  23. ↑ "LEVC CELEBRATES SALE OF 5000TH TX ELECTRIC TAXI IN LONDON" (in en-US). 27 April 2022. https://levc.com/levc-celebrates-sale-of-5000th-tx-electric-taxi-in-london/. 
  24. ↑ "LEVC CELEBRATES MILESTONE OF 7,000 GLOBAL ELECTRIC TAXI SALES" (in en-US). 18 May 2022. https://levc.com/levc-celebrates-milestone-of-7000-global-electric-taxi-sales/. 
  25. ↑ "More than half of London’s black taxis are zero emission capable". 6 Dec 2023. https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2023/december/more-than-half-of-london-s-black-taxis-are-zero-emission-capable. 
  26. ↑ "LEVC appoints distributor in Austria". https://www.electrive.com/2021/02/13/levc-appoints-distributor-in-austria/. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "Geely Commercial Vehicles Enter Southeast Asia" (in en-US). https://zgh.com/media-center/news/20191106_1/?lang=en. 
  28. ↑ "Azerbaijan receives 100 red electric cabs from LEVC". https://www.electrive.com/2020/03/09/azerbaijan-receives-100-red-electric-cabs-from-levc/. 
  29. ↑ "Shuttle-Dienst in Hamburg nutzt elektrische London Taxis" (in de). https://www.kfz-betrieb.vogel.de/shuttle-dienst-in-hamburg-nutzt-elektrische-london-taxis-gal-740695/?p=10. 
  30. ↑ "Iconic London black cabs in India now in e-avtaar as MUVs". The Times of India. 31 March 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/iconic-london-black-cabs-in-india-now-in-e-avtaar-as-muvs/articleshow/90576722.cms. 
  31. ↑ "LEVC'S GLOBAL EXPANSION CONTINUES WITH LAUNCH OF TX AND VN5 IN ISRAEL" (in en-US). 10 August 2021. https://levc.com/levcs-global-expansion-continues-with-launch-of-tx-and-vn5-in-israel/. 
  32. ↑ "N12 – המוניות מלונדון מגיעות לישראל: כך הן ייראו". 27 February 2022. https://www.mako.co.il/news-money/consumer/Article-f1a6ad2ce4c3f71027.htm. 
  33. ↑ "Keio Taxi". https://levc.com/case_studies/keio-taxi/. 
  34. ↑ "Approved Used". https://levc.auto.staging.netdirector.auto/corporate/news/levc-poland/. 
  35. ↑ "Approved Used". https://levc.auto.staging.netdirector.auto/corporate/news/barcelona_partner/. 

Template:London Hackney Carriage Taxicabs



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