London black cab and minicab drivers would likely welcome the opportunity to use electric vehicles at this time, given that the average price of fuel in the UK is around £1.35 per litre. As the environment and sustainable living become an ever growing issue reducing pollution levels in major cities like London is a continual battle.
According to Eco Velocity which is a low-carbon motor show, if all of the 22,000 registered black cabs in the city became electric vehicles this could reduce Co2 pollution by 4000 tonnes every week. The figure was calculated using average mileage and the Co2 emissions of the most common Hackney carriages. Also according to Eco Velocity if you included London minicabs the reduction in pollution levels could be tripled.
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The introduction of the electric vehicles in the transport industry would no doubt reduce air pollution in London. According to some reports black cabs which are the most common type of vehicle on London's roads account for about 20% of pollution. Not only this if you include all other forms of transport including minicabs and buses the percentage goes up to 80%. Any major roll-out of electric powered public transport would certainly have a big impact on pollution levels.
Fuel vs Electricity
The recent announcement that Tesco would be cutting petrol prices by 2 pence does not provide many in the transport sector much alleviation as some suggest it is just too little too late.
From an economic standpoint it would be cheaper to run an electric powered vehicle provided the vehicle could provide the necessary mileage to last an entire shift without the need to charge. As well as this the charging of such as vehicle would have to be fairly quick in order for it to be viable. Waiting for hours for an EV to charge would certainly not be advantageous for some companies. Also at this point the purchase of these vehicles is still very expensive which is a major obstacle.
Further developments in the area of electric vehicles continues, Manganese Bronze, a well-known black cab manufacturer has been working on its own version of an electric powered black cab, which it hopes to properly roll out in time for the 2012 London Olympics.
Fuel Prices Affect the Economy
SFP is a major insolvency practitioner in the UK. It has recently reported that as many as 3 out of 4 new instructions by transport companies cite fuel prices as the cause for business failure. Many companies in the courier, haulage and minicab industry are in very competitive markets, making it difficult to pass on fuel price hikes to customers.
Why do Fuel Prices Rise?
Generally fuel prices follow basic economic principles. If there is a glitch in supply or surge in demand this raises prices, consequently if there is an over-supply or demand is low prices reduce. However, over recent years there have been few occasions when fuel prices have reduced. It is the continual increases that are putting small businesses under pressure. Together with the added environmental issues a move into cheaper more sustainable forms of fuel/energy are needed in order to safeguard the future of small businesses in the transport sector.
Fuel Prices, Electric Cars and Minicabs
London minicab and chauffeur hire services. 28 years experience.
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