MyPE

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THIS will be a Game Changer for our Taxi Industry

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Electric Taxi
The Fossil Fuel Taxi is Dead, Long Live EV’s, Long Live!

I often drive past the taxi ranks in Strand Street, Port Elizabeth with genuine concern for all the people who work in that semi-enclosed environment. The taxi drivers, hawkers and commuters are exposed to masses of toxic emissions whilst the taxis stand idle for a greater part of the day between morning and evening commute.

Here is the GAME CHANGING dream:

  1. Make the purchase of an off the shelf electric taxi very attractive for owners
  2. Slap in a number of chargers where the taxis park in Strand Street and other selected Taxi Ranks
  3. Slap up a whole bank of Solar Panels connected to a few battery banks
  4. For the first few years offer electric taxi recharging for nothing.

More Thoughts:

  1. Two off the shelf solutions spring to mind – the Nissan e-NV200 Combi and the London Cab TX Taxi.
  2. Less passengers but at ZERO fuel costs will offer a compelling proposition whilst the bigger taxi vehicles catch up
  3. Imagine a Zola with a HUGE battery in the floor pan – lower centre of gravity, more space, quieter and with charge points galore
  4. Preferential parking for zero emission taxis
  5. Advertising around the charge points
  6. Hawkers will pay for the CLEAN air space at charge points
  7. It could be the catalyst in support of our dying automotive industry
  8. It could be the catalyst for greater tourism
  9. The showcase alone will be a catalyst to kick-start the renewable energy industry in Port Elizabeth.

Some examples:

In the United Kingdom, St Austell-based C&C Taxis added a five-seater e-NV200 Combi to it’s fleet and say that the e-NV200 Combi will save £10 000 in fuel bills per year. The e-NV200 Combi is capable of covering 106 miles on a single charge and can be charged from zero to 80% full in as little as 30 minutes. Running costs are as low as two pence per mile and users also benefit from low maintenance costs that make for unrivaled total cost of ownership – £1 200 lower than a conventional diesel van over four years.

The Dynamo Taxi Company says of the e-NV200: ‘Fuel’ costs of only 3p per mile estimated based on charging at home. Service costs reduced by 30%. No emission zone charges, anywhere. Lowest possible down time, very reliable.

The e-NV200 is AC Standard, Fast and DC Rapid charging compatible. The 40 Kw battery: Under Rapid charge charges in 30 minutes, Under Fast charge reaches 100% charge in 4 hours and under Standard charge reaches 100% charge in 10 hours.

The London Black Cab TX Electric Taxi Company (LECV) estimates that professional drivers can save around £100 a week when they switch to the TX electric taxi. Over five years, that could lead to a saving of over £24k! The TX can travel up to 533 miles per week on pure electric energy.

By some twisted logic the LECV has ties to Port Elizabeth as parent company Geely (officially Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd), along with owning Volvo cars – headquartered in Gothenburg Sweden, which is a twin city to Nelson Mandela Bay – also owns: 1. Geely Auto Group which includes the brands Geely Auto, Lynk & Co, PROTON, and Lotus, 2. Volvo Car Group which includes the brands Volvo Cars and Polestar, 3. Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group which include the brands London Electric Vehicle Company and Yuan Cheng, 4. Geely Group (New Business) which includes the brands Caocao, Terrafugia, Qianjiang Motorcycles, Joma, and other new businesses, and 5. Mitime Group which includes ZGH educational institutions, motorsports business, and tourism business.

Would someone in the NMB Municipality like to pop across to China and chat to Geely about Electric Taxis for South Africa – with an estimated 300 000 on the roads it could be a sizeable chunk of business for Geely #justsaying.

You can help the quiet revolution along by installing an EV Charging station outside your Guest House, Hotel, Coffee Shop, Restaurant, Shopping Centre or in your forecourt. Contact Straton Electrical for EV Charging Station options.

Read More articles about EV’s and Renewable Energy here: Join the Quiet Revolution and here: MyNMB.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.