Day: March 9, 2023

There are now more than 6,000 LEVC electric taxis operating in London

2023-03-09 / Robert Vinet

The electric TX, successor to the traditional diesel-powered London ‘black cab’

LEVC TX

London Electric Vehicle Company’s electric TX is the successor to the traditional diesel-powered London ‘black cab’

There are now more LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company – the successor company to that which originated the iconic London ‘black cab’) TX electric taxis on the streets of London than diesel TX4s, as the UK capital’s transition to a green EV black cab fleet continues to accelerate.

Highlighting the transition away from fossil fuel, LEVC’s TX taxi now represents more than 40% of official black cabs, with over 6,000 vehicles operating in the capital.

Alex Nan, CEO of LEVC, commented: “We are witnessing a significant tipping point in the push towards cleaner transportation, with the TX overtaking the diesel-powered TX4 as the cab of choice in London. There are now more than 6,000 TX electric taxis operating in the capital, accounting for over 40% of the black cab fleet.

More » Just Auto

Hands-on look at the 2025 Sony Honda Mobility Afeela EV

2023-03-09 / Robert Vinet

2025 Sony Honda Mobility Afeela Concept

Bottom line, we mostly liked the Sony Honda Mobility Afeela concept car’s interior. It delivered the multimedia experience we expected, with car controls that (yoke aside) are fairly conventional and straightforward. Like the rest of the car, the Afeela concept’s interior strikes us as realistic and producible. Sony plans to take orders in 2025 with initial customer deliveries in 2026, and we should see something closer to a production car long before then. Aside from some desperately needed rear headroom, we’ll be happy if there aren’t too many changes from the concept.

More » Motor Trend

Porsche and Ferrari are behind the debate that could derail 2035 EU ICE ban

2023-03-09 / Robert Vinet

It is deeply disappointing to learn that Porsche and Ferrari are lurking in the shadows, feeding the climate change debate.

CarScoops »

In mid-February, the European Union approved a law that was set to effectively ban the sale of new internal combustion vehicles by 2035. At the time, it seemed that a rubber stamp was all that was needed to finalize the environmental measure. In March, though, Germany and Italy threw a wrench in the works, and it seems that those nations’ two best-known performance brands may be partially to blame for the EU’s headache.

Porsche and Ferrari, two brands known for their on-track performance and engineering expertise, have both decided to invest heavily in the future of synthetic fuels – the very product that both Italy and Germany want allowances made for before they agree to sign onto the legislation, reports Bloomberg.

Alabama-built all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV isn’t cheap, starts at $78,000 in the U.S.

2023-03-09 / Robert Vinet

Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV

The luxury 2023 Mercedes Benz EQE SUV will arrive in US dealerships in spring with a ‘starting price’ of US$77,900 (~$CDN108,000), making it out of reach for the majority.

The all-electric EQE SUV is being offered with three powertrains, each available with one of three trim levels. Interestingly, the starting level RWD and AWD models are priced the same.