The full specifications for the new purpose-built Range Extended Electric Metrocab taxi have been revealed.
The new Metrocab, which has been designed and engineered by British companies Frazer-Nash and Ecotive, will be trialled in London from this week.
Along with the Nissan NV200 revealed in 2012 and updated recently, the Metrocab is one of a number of designs which have been engineered to appeal to London cabbies and replace the existing London taxi in the capital.
The Metrocab is fitted with a 1.0-litre petrol engine which, instead of powering the wheels, is used solely to generate electricity. This electricity is then used either to power the electric motor that drives the wheels or to charge the vehicle's lithium ion battery pack.
The company claims that this setup allows the Metrocab to return in excess of 75mpg (around three times more than the current crop of diesel taxis can manage) and emit less than 50g/km of CO2. A range of 348 miles is also reportedly on the cards.
Frazer-Nash claims that the improved efficiency of the Metrocab will result in significantly reduced running costs, with the average London cabbie able to save between £30 and £40 per day. The Metrocab can also run in zero-emissions mode and can be recharged via a standard mains outlet, which could result in a marked improvement in London's air quality.
But despite the new technology, Frazer-Nash has designed the Metrocab to ape the existing London taxi, resulting in a much more attractive vehicle than the Nissan NV200.
Inside, there's seating for up to seven passengers, with a USB charging socket, a panoramic glass roof and a touchscreen digital infotainment system all included as standard.
The Metrocab has been in development for more than ten years, covering more than 600,000 miles in testing, and fully conforms to all the London Public Carriage Office (PCO) regulations.
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