A memorandum of understanding between BYD and Green Tomato Cars has been signed, leading to the creation of London’s first-ever fleet of pure electric minicabs. The 50-unit fleet will be composed of BYD’s all-electric E6 models and will be provided to Green Tomato Cars for trial use. Green Tomato Cars, the minicab company based in London, intends to introduce the cars starting the second quarter of 2013. Powering the five-seat E6 taxi is a 75kW motor and BYD’s own iron phosphate battery. As a result, the car boasts a 186-mile range on a single charge. It could also reach a top speed of 87mph. According to BYD chairman, Wang Chuanfu, the company is pleased to offer Green Tomato Cars with E6 vehicles. The e6 has no tailpipe emissions so it doesn’t contribute to the city’s CO2 levels. According to London’s Mayor Boris Johnson, he is making it his target for London’s minicabs and taxis to be zero-emission by 2020. He said that this is why it’s “great news” that Green Tomato Cars is committed to operate 50 of these super-clean machines starting next year.
BYD will launch electric minicabs in London
by Andrew Christian, Email, 26 Oct, 2012
