The London Taxi Company receives government funding towards £46.5m zero emissions project
A consortium led by the London Taxi Company has been awarded an Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) grant of £17.5m towards an R&D project for zero emissions hybrid technology. The project is a collaboration between industry and research institutions with the consortium investing an additional £29m in developing UK content for advanced zero emissions hybrid technology.
The £46.5m project will allow the London Taxi Company to develop its next generation zero emissions hybrid drivetrain technology alongside its consortium partners in Coventry. The APC project will enhance the capabilities and sustainability of the UK low-carbon supply chain and will create more than 150 jobs.
The London Taxi Company aims to utilise the hybrid drivetrain technology within its new zero emissions capable product range being developed at its new facility in Ansty in the West Midlands.
Peter Johansen, CEO of the London Taxi Company, said: “The UK government’s investment in the London Taxi Company’s APC R&D project will allow us to further develop the next generation zero emissions capable powertrain. The resulting technology will be used in our future products, ensuring that we use as many UK-produced components as possible, generating jobs and value for the UK.”
The APC promotes collaboration between UK-based academia, automotive suppliers and OEMs to make the country a global centre of excellence for low carbon powertrain development. The London Taxi Company has teamed up with tier one automotive supplier GKN, engineering service provider Revolve and independent research institute The High Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute (HSSMI).
Paul Turner, Technical Director for Low Carbon Technologies at Revolve, said:
“We’re delighted to be part of the London Taxi Company led APC consortium, and we’re looking forward to our role in developing innovative UK suppliers to be part of the London Taxi Company’s low carbon vehicle programme. This project gives Revolve the ideal platform to expand its role as a leading low carbon technologies integrator in the automotive sector.”
Axel Bindel, Chief Technology Officer at HSSMI, said:
“The project with the London Taxi Company fits perfectly with our mantra of collaborate, research, deploy. HSSMI’s combination of new knowledge and experience will accelerate the UK’s manufacturing capability to deliver value-based collaboration and research. We look forward to our work with the London Taxi Company and its partners.”
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Please contact dollier@london-taxis.co.uk for further information.
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About the London Taxi Company
The London Taxi Company (LTC) has a long and proud history of producing purpose built taxis designed to meet London’s Conditions of Fitness (CoF). Since the original Hackney Carriage the vehicle has gone through many development cycles to improve driver and passenger experience. The company is committed to customer care and continuous improvements in accessibility, comfort, emissions performance, manoeuvrability and durability of its vehicles without compromising its famous shape and brand. LTC are proud to serve the world famous London taxi trade which sets the global benchmark for taxi services. Success in this marker has been the foundation for developing a strong presence in other UK regions and export markets. Outside the UK the London Black Cab is now being utilised in over 40 major cities worldwide. The next investment cycle will see the company develop and produce a purpose built zero emission capable taxi designed to meet new and ambitious emissions standards being rolled out in major cities across Europe, including London.
LTC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. The London taxi is currently manufactured in Coventry and manufactured under license in Shanghai by its sister company Shanghai London Taxi International, with a flagship dealership in London and centres in Manchester, Coventry and Edinburgh supported through a UK and international service centre network. The London Taxi Company is the trading name of the London Taxi Corporation Limited.
About Revolve
Revolve is an engineering service provider to the transport industry, providing CAD and FEA design services, engineering integration services, and low to medium volume assembly. We work on a diverse range of projects and many of these are centred around the emerging low carbon technologies of Hydrogen, Hybrid, Range Extenders and Electric propulsion.
Our dynamic engineering team apply advanced problem solving skills that come from working at the forefront of new technologies, on a diverse range of customer projects, and can provide cost-effective, and if required, light weight solutions for stand-alone systems or full turn-key projects.
About HSSMI
The High Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute (HSSMI) was established in 2012. The independent research institute has a mission to provide outstanding commercial value and knowledge for the UK’s manufacturing industry. HSSMI forms and engages in collaborations in manufacturing with UK academia and UK Industry. Developing new technologies and processes to support the ambition to add value and scale to UK manufacturing Collaborations include academia, solution providers and Original Equipment Manufacturers across HSSMI’s four themes: Virtual Engineering, Circular Value Chains, Resource Efficiency and Urban Manufacturing as well as the development of manufacturing new propulsion technologies.