| LEVC TX | |
| Manufacturer: | London EV Company (Geely) |
| Production: | 2017–present |
| Assembly: | United Kingdom: Coventry (Ansty Park plant) China: Yiwu (Geely) |
| Body Style: | Hackney carriage |
| Layout: | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Related: | LEVC VN5 |
| Motor: | 2x 110kW Siemens permanent magnet synchronous |
| Drivetrain: | Plug-in series hybrid |
| Battery: | 31 kW·h, 400 V lithium ion |
| Range: | 377miles |
| Electric Range: | 80.6miles |
| Wheelbase: | 29861NaN1 |
| Length: | 48571NaN1 |
| Width: | 18741NaN1 |
| Height: | 18881NaN1 |
| Weight: | 22300NaN0 |
| Predecessor: | TX4 |
| Sp: | uk |
The LEVC TX[1] (previously known as the TX5) is a purpose-built hackney carriage manufactured by the British commercial vehicle maker London EV Company (LEVC), a subsidiary of the Chinese carmaker Geely.[2] It is the latest in a succession of purpose-built hackney carriages produced by LEVC and various predecessor entities. The LEVC TX is a plug-in hybrid range-extender electric vehicle.[3]
The vehicle is designed to comply with Transport for London’s Taxi Private Hire regulations, which banned new diesel-powered taxis from January 2018, requiring zero-emissions capability.[4]
In the late 2000s, Geely was in talks over the possibility of converting London's black cabs into electric-powered vehicles.[5] From 2014, Geely invested £480m in LEVC to develop a new taxi, with a new factory to be built near Coventry.[6] [7] [8] Geely hoped to manufacture 36,000 vehicles per annum.[9] The vehicle entered production in 2017.
In January 2020, LEVC announced plans to market the TX in Japan[10] with Fleetway and Service Company as the Japanese distributor.[11] Deliveries were reported to be made in Q2 2020.[11]
LEVC reported that taxis were sold in Azerbaijan for Baku Taxi Service in March 2020.[12]
The LEVC TX is built on a unique platform, underpinned by a bonded aluminium chassis built in the UK, giving the LEVC TX a 32 percent parts localisation rate by value. China and Europe each account for 32 percent of the content, while United States content is 4 percent.[13]
The LEVC TX is powered by a full-electric hybrid drivetrain. It drives in full-electric mode all the time, but is recharged by an 810NaN0 Volvo-sourced 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine.
The LEVC TX is fitted with a battery pack supplied by LG Chem, and powers a 1100NaN0 Siemens-built electric motor for traction.[14] When the battery pack has insufficient charge to power the vehicle, the petrol engine is claimed to achieve .[15] The charge connectors are mounted either side of the radiator grille, and are a CCS socket, capable of 50 kW DC and 22 kW AC, and an optional 50 kW capable CHAdeMO connector.[16]
In accordance to London taxi regulation, the LEVC TX offers a turning circle of 8.45m (27.72feet) (4.23m (13.88feet) of radius) which made possible by the front wheels that turn up to 63 degrees, instead of the typical 38 degrees.[17] [18] The LEVC TX also has a wheelchair ramp, which can be manually deployed by the driver when required.
The TX took advantage of 2018 Transport for London rules that allowed only zero-emission capable vehicles to become additions to the city's taxi fleet.[19] By February 2018 it was the only taxi capable of meeting these rules.[20]
By April 2022, over 5,000 TX vehicles has been sold in London, around a third of London's taxi fleet.[21] In May 2022, LEVC announced that over 7,000 taxis had been sold worldwide.[22]
Outside London, the TX5 also serves as a taxi in Austria,[23] Australia,[24] Azerbaijan,[25] China,[24] Denmark,[11] France,[11] Germany,[26] India,[27] Israel,[28] [29] Japan,[30] Poland,[31] Spain[32] and Switzerland.[11]