Mayor Boris Johnson Takes a Ride in New Range-Extender Cab Proposed for London

Thankfully, the seemingly Mitsuoka-styled Nissan London Cab won’t be the only way for future tourists and locals to travel the city, as it will not be the sole next-gen taxi to be used. The new Metrocab, that borrows its name and shape from the old British-built Metrocab (1987 – 2000), is a range extender that has been in the works since 2007.

Developed by UK-based Frazer-Nash subsidiary Ecolive Ltd., it uses two electric motors driving the wheels at the back, plus a petrol engine of unspecified capacity to top up the battery when almost out of power. It will be even cleaner than the Nissan NV200, with its 1.6-liter petrol engine, offer seating for six and excellent all-round visibility for all passengers (including a panoramic glass roof).

Moreover, its looks are nowhere near as ridiculous as those of the bug-eyed Japanese van and actually kind-of work as a design proposal that also serves more of a practical role (of being cavernous inside).

Reports suggest that it could hit 75+ mpg UK (62.5 mpg US or 3.76 l/100km).

The video posted below shows the current mayor of London, Boris Johnson, having a go in one of these new Metrocabs that are said to begin working trials this month, and getting the tour from those who created it.

Check it out by scrolling down to after the virtual jump.

By Andrei Nedelea

VIDEO

Frazer-Nash's Range Extended Electric Metrocab Wants to Reinvent the London Taxi [w/Video]

Following Nissan’s NV200-based London taxi, Frazer-Nash and Ecotive have revealed their Range Extended Electric (REE) Metrocab taxi, also designed for the UK capital.

Designed, engineered and built in the UK, the Metrocab is a range extended electric-powered taxi for London inspired by the silhouette of the iconic black cab. It has six passenger seats plus an optional front passenger seat.

The vehicle has been in development since the mid-2000s with several prototypes built and over a million kilometers of engineering tests completed.

Powered by two 50kW electric motors mounted to each of the rear wheels, the Metrocab sources energy from a 12.2kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack. It also has a Euro5-compliant 1-liter petrol range-extender engine coupled to generator unit for when the battery is depleted, with combined range exceeding 560 km (348 miles).

Frazer-Nash and Ecotive claim the Metrocab averages more than 75 mpg UK (3.77 l/100 km), making it over three times more fuel-efficient than comparable current London taxi. CO2 emissions are rated at under 50 g/km, which is 75 percent less than comparable current London taxi. Despite a kerb weight of 1,750kg (3,858 lbs), the cab can reach an electronically-limited top speed of 80 mph (129 km/h).

The Metrocab fully complies with London Public Carriage Office (PCO) regulations, including the 7.62m (25ft) turning circle.

Frazer-Nash aims to sell the vehicle to taxi companies in London and other key cities in the UK and internationally.

By Dan Mihalascu

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO

Ferrari FF Hits Ford C-MAX Taxi Then Fence in Boston

Regardless of where the blame lies – be that the freezing conditions in Massachusetts, the driver of the Ferrari and/or the other car reportedly involved in the accident with the gunmetal FF seen in the above photo, a crashed Ferrari is never a pretty sight.

Here's all that we know about the incident at this time, courtesy of Wreckedexotics: "Ferrari FF collided with a Ford C-Max taxi last night in Boston. Witnesses say the Ferrari was making a lot of noise shortly before the crash."

You never know, but given how expensive it is to fix luxury cars in general, let alone special Italian exotics, and looking at the damages the supercar sustained, we would say that this Ferrari FF is either toast or an insurance write off.

- Do you have more information on the crash? Send us an email or tell us in the comments and we'll update this post.

Photo Credits: Wreckedexotics

PHOTO GALLERY

Nissan’s NV200 Taxi Puts on a New Face for London [w/Video]

Nissan has unveiled the new face of its NV200-based Taxi for London, with the van…suffering extensive aesthetic surgery in order to look similar to the city’s iconic black cabs.

Compared to the initial NV200 London taxi first unveiled in August 2012, the final version looks radically different, as Nissan listened to feedback from the London Mayor’s office, Transport for London and other key organizations that have backed the new taxi.

The NV200 cab for London is part of Nissan’s global taxi program, which also includes New York, Barcelona and Tokyo. Unlike the NV200 taxis for these cities that sport a similar look, the London edition gets a bespoke design, including round headlamps and re-modelled grille mirroring the traditional black cab “face”, LED lighting for the taxi sign and completely new front bumper panels.

Another London requirement was that the NV200 adhered to the strict TfL regulations governing Hackney Carriages, including the required 25-foot (7.6-meter) turning circle.

Developed for London in London by Nissan Design Europe (NDE) in Paddington, the new taxi will be launched in December 2014 with a 1.6-liter petrol engine mated to an automatic gearbox. Nissan says it has chosen this engine because it is “far cleaner, with lower levels of NOx and particulates” compared to current diesel London taxis. In 2015, Nissan will also launch a zero emission electric version of the NV200 Taxi for London.

The Nissan NV200 Taxi for London will be sold exclusively by franchised dealer group Glyn Hopkin from a purpose-built showroom in Canary Wharf.

By Dan Mihalascu

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO