LEVC (London EV Company)’s new TX electric taxi is now fully certified to carry fare-paying passengers in London

• LEVC (London EV Company)’s new TX electric taxi is now fully certified to carry fare-paying passengers in London
• TX is ready to revolutionise the passenger experience with more space, 6 passenger seats, forward facing wheelchair access, power sockets for laptops, USB ports, on-board wifi, an expansive panoramic roof and active & passive safety systems making it the world’s most advanced taxi
• The all new TX is powered by LEVC’s eCity technology comprising of an advanced electric powertrain with a small back-up petrol generator
• e-City technology allows for a range of up to 400 miles including 80 miles range with zero emissions, helping to improve urban air quality for all Londoners
• Milestone occasion marked on the 65th Anniversary of the Great London Smog and hosted at Battersea Power Station, another London icon reborn for the 21st Century

Today marks a momentous milestone in the life of the London taxi: LEVC (London EV Company)’s all-new electric TX taxi is now fully certified to carry fare-paying passengers. For the first time Londoners will be able to ride through the city’s streets in incredible comfort with technology at their fingertips, safe in the knowledge that they are sitting in the world’s cleanest, most advanced taxi ever.

The new TX is a revolution for passengers who should expect unrivalled ride comfort, class leading wheelchair accessibility, air conditioning, phone charging and a much more spacious cabin with six seats. 

Features abound including wide opening rear hinged doors, power sockets for laptops, on-board wifi, contactless card machines and an expansive panoramic roof. 

Chris Gubbey, CEO of the LEVC, said:“After extensive testing, LEVC’s new taxi is ready to do the job it was made for: transport people around this great city of London safely, cleanly and stylishly. Better for passengers, more cost effective for drivers, it will play a major role in helping to improve air quality benefiting all Londoners. I am immensely proud of the work we have carried out so far: we have produced a new icon, the world’s most advanced electric taxi.”

Having been put through the most rigorous testing regime in the company’s history, including extreme weather conditions in the Arctic Circle and Arizona, plus thousands of miles in the hands of real cab drivers in London, the new TX is ready to go to work – ahead of TfL’s January 2018 deadline when all newly licensed taxis need to be zero emission capable.

Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, said: “These new electric taxis are at the forefront of green transport technology and will play a transformational role in the Mayor’s plan to phase out diesel and clean up the transport network. This will help to accelerate improvements to London's toxic air.

“It’s great to have the first electric taxis on London’s streets and a testament to London’s leadership and that of LEVC. I look forward to seeing many more taxis on London's street in the coming months”.

This landmark moment was celebrated at Circus West Village, the first phase of the Battersea Power Station regeneration, which is now open. The entire site has been designed to futureproof for a mass adoption of electric vehicles with the infrastructure for almost 1,000 electric charging points planned and the flexibility to increase that. The first 57 charging points are now available for use at Circus West Village. The Grade II* listed Power Station building and its surrounding areas is being transformed into a community of homes, shops, offices, restaurants and public space - a vibrant, new town centre for Londoners. Like the TX, both icons blend old and new and are being redesigned for 21st century living, and have a major role to play in the future London landscape.

All LEVC products use its eCity technology comprising of an advanced battery electric powertrain with a small back-up petrol generator. Applied to the all-new electric TX, the technology allows for a range of up to 400 miles including 80 miles pure electric range.

Unlike the previous taxi, the vehicle’s multi-filter system works to remove gases and particles from the incoming air. In addition, an in-built air quality sensor also automatically closes the external air intake if it detects increased levels of pollution in the outside air – protecting passengers, and the driver, from the capital’s often poor-quality air.

World-class active and passive safety systems will help to protect both the vehicle and other road users too. These include forward collision warnings, autonomous emergency breaking and emergency brake assistance, while the TX combines an extremely strong, rigid aluminium body shell with crash protection to the highest international standards, reinforcing the black cab trade’s reputation for safety.

Carl-Peter Forster, Chairman of the LEVC, said: “There have been many milestones on this journey, from opening a brand-new factory in the heart of the UK – the first brand new automotive manufacturing facility in Britain for over a decade; the first dedicated electric vehicle factory in the UK – to today’s announcement that our new TX has passed all certification tests and is now able to carry fare-paying passengers. It will save drivers money, bring new levels of comfort and convenience to those who hail one and provide the safest and cleanest way of getting around a city by taxi. And this is just the start. We will deliver new TX models in Europe later in 2018 – and across the world. Our goal is to be the global, automotive leader in urban commercial vehicles. We are well on our way to achieving that.”

LEVC has received thousands expressions of interest in London for the new electric TX since order books opened on August 1st 2017 and the first electric TX models will arrive in the hands of drivers this month. The vehicle is currently available for test drive and those who have placed orders will start receiving their vehicles in due course.

Underpinned by an investment totalling £325m, LEVC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Geely, has the single-minded ambition to be the urban commercial vehicle provider of choice for cities across the globe. Its commercial vehicle strategy will see the new TX launched first followed by an electric LCV.

Geely Automotive has opened its £300m new production facility in Coventry to build London Taxi's.

UK’s first dedicated car factory to produce electric vehicles for global markets

• Ansty plant to be UK’s first dedicated electric vehicle manufacturing facility
• First all-new vehicle manufacturing facility to be built in Britain for more than a decade
• The first major Chinese investment of its kind in UK automotive from parent Geely
• The creation of more than 1000 high skilled, high quality manufacturing jobs
• A new R&D Light-weighting and EV centre for Geely and Britain

The London Taxi Company (LTC) today announced the official opening of the UK’s first car plant dedicated solely to the production of range -extended electric vehicles. This new, state-of-the-art, vehicle plant in Ansty, Coventry, is where the world’s first purpose-built, mass-market electric taxi will be built. 

LTC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Geely, has invested more than £300m in the new site and the next-generation London taxi, which will be produced at the plant and exported around the world. 

The investment and expansion of LTC has created more than 1,000 new jobs, including 200 engineers and 30 apprenticeships.

The site has the capacity to build more than 20,000 vehicles per year - vehicles designed for, and dedicated to one task: to be the best ultra-low emission commercial vehicles in the world. The taxi vehicle is using proven Volvo Car electric powertrain system technologies and components comprising a new EV light weight platform, while retaining the iconic design heritage recognized around the world. Further derivatives of this new EV architecture will follow.

All vehicles produced at this plant will go through the most stringent testing regime in the company’s history. Each test vehicle will cover almost 500,000 kilometers, often in extreme conditions, to ensure that no city is off-limits. This program will enable LTC to deliver world-leading urban commercial vehicles, which meet the highest levels of quality, reliability and usability, purposefully designed for demanding daily drive cycles.

The all new electric taxi goes on sale first in London in quarter four 2017, and then around the world in early 2018. The new vehicle will be highly competitive with substantially lower fuel costs than its previous taxis.

Chris Gubbey, Chief Executive of the London Taxi Company, said: “Today marks the rebirth of the London Taxi Company. A company with a singular vision; to design and build dedicated urban commercial vehicles that can operate without emissions in cities around the world and bring down running costs for drivers.”

The fully integrated factory – from research through to production – will also become a globally connected research and development centre in electric vehicle powertrains and lightweight aluminum body structures, which will be applied in all vehicles made at the plant.

The technology behind the new facility and vehicle is cutting edge. It has been developed in collaboration with other members of the Geely group, including Volvo Cars, whilst drawing on LTC’s heritage and expertise in the development of purpose-built taxis.

This partnership has ensured that the vehicle retains its key features such as being wheelchair accessible, and having a high level of manoeuvrability whilst incorporating new features like a spacious cabin area with six passenger seats and a highly sophisticated electric drivetrain.

Carl-Peter Forster, Chairman of the London Taxi Company, said: “The opening of our new plant sets a number of records; it’s the first brand new automotive manufacturing facility in Britain for over a decade; the first dedicated electric vehicle factory in the UK; and the first major Chinese investment in UK automotive. We are extremely proud of what we have achieved today, and we have firmly put our stake in the ground as a new, global, automotive leader in urban commercial vehicles.”

The new fully integrated research, development and production facility, where work began just under two years ago, has been supported by the UK Government through its Regional Growth Fund.

The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy attended the opening ceremony and welcome the investment, stating: “Our iconic black cabs are famous across the world. The London Taxi Company’s impressive new factory and R&D facility showcases the innovation that makes the UK a world leader in the development of new automotive technologies.

Through our ambitious Industrial Strategy, we are committed to building on our strengths and taking advantage of the opportunities the new low carbon economy provides.”

The construction of this plant at Ansty was possible thanks to the commitment of Government to support UK leadership in ultra-low emission vehicles – including measures like a dedicated purchase grants for taxi drivers provided through the Office of Low Emission Vehicles - as well as its ongoing commitment to the Midlands Engine through the government’s Industrial Strategy.

In addition, the London Mayor and TfL have played a significant role in putting the taxi industry on a more sustainable footing – including their proposed taxi decommissioning scheme, their commitment to build a dedicated charging network for commercial vehicle drivers and world leading zero emission licensing requirements.

Shirley Rodrigues the Deputy Mayor for Energy and Environment said: “The Mayor and TfL are fully committed to helping the iconic London taxi trade become the greenest, most sustainable fleet in the world. With air quality at toxic levels in London, our Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan sets out bold measures to fully support the black cab trade’s evolution into zero emission capable vehicles. The pioneering models made at this factory will help fast track the taxi industry both in the UK and internationally into the next generation of cleaner vehicles, as well as creating many new jobs. Our further efforts to drive up standards across the taxi and private hire industry will also improve safety for every passenger in London, and protect the future of the unique and invaluable service that black cabs provide to Londoners.”

The plant meets the highest environmental standards possible, including 850m2 of photovoltaic solar panels to power the factory and 20 charging points for electric vehicles. The plant has also earned an Excellent BREEAM[i] rating and an A rating for energy performance. LTC also worked closely with Natural England to minimise any potential impact to local wildlife from the construction of the facility, and supported the construction of numerous “newt hotels” to re-home rare species in the area.

Zhou Jianqan, General Manager at Geely Commercial Vehicles, said: “This dedicated electric vehicle plant, gives LTC and Geely the chance to lead the way in advanced British manufacturing as we look to solve the pollution challenges facing the world’s major cities. Urbanization continues around at such a pace with more than a billion new city dwellers expected by 2030. This move to cities will only be sustainable if all vehicles, including taxis, go electric. Our vision is to help solve the pollution crisis, not as an add on, but as a company dedicated to meeting the needs of commercial drivers and their passengers.”

The All-New Electric London taxi is undergoing exhaustive testing to ensure it is up to the rigours of the job.

These pictures from the London Taxi Company (LTC) demonstrate just part of the extreme testing programme the all-new electric black cab is undergoing in LTC’s most comprehensive product quality programme in its 98-year history.

Underway now in the lower reaches of the Arctic Circle in Norway, the extreme cold climate testing is just part of the new programme LTC has developed to ensure the highest levels of quality, reliability and usability for demanding taxi usage cycles before launch later this year.

Testing the vehicle in a real life environment of -15°C helps LTC ensure that the battery and range of the vehicle are not disproportionately affected by cold weather.

However, extreme cold weather testing is not just to guarantee battery performance, it also serves to check the quality of driver and passenger experience in cold weather. This means checking that cab heating and ventilation continue to perform to the highest standards – no matter how bitter the temperature outside. Driving experience is also checked – so the impact of grip, drivability and visibility are also checked. LTC engineers can then make adjustments to ensure that drivers have the best drive regardless of the conditions.

This regime to check the vehicle performance in even the harshest conditions will only get more stringent over the coming weeks, with the vehicle set to be cooled down in giant fridges to -49°C. These checks will seek to guarantee that the vehicle will always start, even after the coldest nights.

The new range extended electric taxi will also undergo similar endurance testing in extreme heat environments before it is deemed ready for sale.

On sale in the final quarter of 2017, LTC’s new electric taxi will be the most comprehensively tested and developed product in the company’s history, as Quality Director Wolfram Liedtke explains:

“Our new taxi is being developed with two key engineering principles – quality and endurance to meet the needs of the demanding taxi duty cycle.  We are now nearing the end of our development programme, and will soon commit the product to series production at our all-new manufacturing facility in Ansty, near Coventry” 

“We understand drivers will want to be sure that our range extended electric vehicle technology works in all conditions which is why we’ve gone to such efforts to test in these extreme environments. It will be, without doubt, the highest quality and resilient product in London Taxi’s history.”

Wolfram brings to the London Taxi Company huge experience having run manufacturing plants across Europe during his career which includes 10 years as Executive Director for Quality at GM Europe and 4 years as Quality Director for premium car maker Jaguar Land Rover.

The feedback of cab drivers is a hugely important part of the development of this vehicle too. So Steve McNamara, General Secretary at the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, also joined LTC for part of the testing.

“It was truly amazing to witness the new London black cab being tested in such an extreme climate and performing so well. This new clean modern 21st century vehicle will ensure that the world’s best cab drivers now have the best tool for the job” said McNamara.

London Taxi Company CEO Chris Gubbey added: “2017 is a momentous year for the London Taxi Company, and I am very proud to be leading the business at such an exciting time.  Our brand new manufacturing facility in Ansty is now complete and will be officially opened later this month, and shortly after the all-new range extended electric taxi will enter series production.  The first dedicated and zero-emissions-capable taxi in the world to enter series production.”

He added: “As proven in these wonderful images from the Arctic Circle – chosen not just for its extreme climate, but also as a symbol of our zero-emissions-capabilities being tested in the cleanest air environment on Earth – we really have put the new vehicle through its paces.  Given these extremes of testing – both in hot and cold climates –   we demonstrate that our vehicle will be a taxi for London and the world over, capable and at home in any city.”   

LTC is due to open its new facility on the 22^nd March 2017 thanks to a £300 million-pound investment from parent company Geely.

Riley gets exported back to the UK to take it's place at in the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu.

A remarkable 1948 Riley RMB has been shipped across the world from New Zealand to Hampshire by its long-term owner, who has donated it to the National Motor Museum Trust at Beaulieu.

Mr James Welch, who had known the car for much of its life and had painstakingly restored it, generously donated the Riley to the museum and paid to have it transported to the New Forest.

This Riley RMB 2 ½ litre has a remarkable story to tell. Built in 1948 in Coventry, it was exported to a dealer in Bern, Switzerland, before being sent to the coachworks of Reinboldt & Christé AG of Basle. 

This specialist coachbuilding firm had carried out a number of body modifications to Riley drophead models, but this was to be the only saloon to receive the same treatment. Two German coins dating from 1949 that were found inside the car still accompany it, souvenirs of its time in Europe.

James Welch’s father, Pat Welch, acquired the Riley in 1955 as part payment on his farm, after the car’s owner had brought it with him when emigrating to New Zealand. Joining a car club, Pat then started to compete in hill climbs and speed events, accompanied by his son. “In January 1957, at age 15, I passed my driving test in the car,” recalled James Welch. “My father gave me permission to compete along with him in hill-climbs, before graduating to beach races and club circuit races.”

After a series of successes, including first place in saloon car races at International Grand Prix meetings at Ardmore, near Auckland, the Riley was finally retired from competitions in 1960.

“My father sold the car in 1970,” said James. “Soon afterwards the new owner’s son fell asleep at the wheel, when on his way to Wellington. The right side of the Riley was damaged and it was then abandoned outside for some years, hence the major deterioration.” After languishing outside in all weathers, the stricken Riley was then stored for several more years in a shed.

The car’s spell of bad luck ended in 1985 when it was bought back by James, who started a total restoration, with help from the Riley RM Club. “I have been a Riley nut since 1955, so when I rebuilt my car I had to get it as near to perfection as I could.” Having worked in the luxury car building trade in his youth, including a spell making body panels for Mulliner Park Ward on the Rolls-Royce assembly line, James carried out most of the work himself, including the bodywork, paint and the interior trim, leaving only the engine, transmission and seats to be rebuilt by professionals.

“After I sold my business in 1999, I could work full-time on the restoration of the Riley, spending up too twelve hours a day on it, sometimes seven days a week,” said James. “When I think of all the work that I did on it, my guess would be that I have spent between 2,500 and 3,000 hours on the project. I spent approximately 150 hours on the interior fascia wood, while the hub caps alone took up 100 hours.”

The Riley finally returned to the road in 2007, still with just 55,000 miles on the odometer. James covered another 5,000 miles before deciding to pass the car on. “I am 74 and with no beneficiaries,” he said. “I had dreamed that this car, because of its rarity, should go to a place where it can be exhibited for all to see. The time was right to send it off.

“I decided on Beaulieu as I had visited there and to me it was a very prestigious place, where the staff treated me as if I was royalty. Now I know I was correct and as the saying goes, ‘some things are meant to be.’ After having this car in my life for 61 years, I am so very pleased that it has gone to such a prestigious home.”

Once it had arrived in the New Forest, the National Motor Museum engineers could carefully extract the Riley from the shipping container that had protected it during its ocean voyage, before putting it on display.

The Riley joins the National Motor Museum collection of over 250 cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles, which spans the history of motoring in Britain.

The Riley RM series of cars, which includes saloons, a convertible and a drophead coupe, is well known in the classic car world for its attractive styling and lively engines. The Riley RMA and RMB saloons were both unveiled in 1946, and while the RMA was fitted with a 1.5-litre engine, the RMB boasted a more powerful 2.5-litre engine.

While a standard RMB originally produced 100bhp, this example's 2443cc four-cylinder engine has been tuned to give 120bhp.

The Riley RMB can now be seen in the National Motor Museum as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction, which includes On Screen Cars, the World of Top Gear, the 13^th century Beaulieu Abbey and grounds and Palace House, which has been home to the Montagu family since 1538.

JLR #3 -Jaguar Land Rover CLassic gets a new home to expand it's business further.

• Jaguar Land Rover invests initial £7.5m in brand new premises in the British Midlands for Classic business division
• New headquarters will be based near the new Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) Technical Centre in Coventry
• New premises will enable Jaguar Land Rover Classic to offer an extensive range of cars, services, parts and experiences for Jaguar and Land Rover owners and enthusiasts
• Jaguar Land Rover Classic collection of vehicles to be stored and maintained in new facility

Jaguar Land Rover Classic, the new brand offering classic car sales, restorations, parts supply and driving experiences to Jaguar and Land Rover owners and enthusiasts, will have a new home later this year following the £7.5m acquisition and development of a new headquarters in Coventry, England.

The new Classic headquarters is planned to open early in 2017, and will be based near to the Jaguar Land Rover SVO Technical Centre in Coventry – an all-new, £20m hub of specialist vehicle personalisation, assembly and finishing.

Tim Hannig, Director, Jaguar Land Rover Classic, said: “The development of a new home for Jaguar Land Rover Classic in Coventry is hugely significant for owners and enthusiasts of classic Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles.

“In this fantastic new facility we will offer the opportunity for owners and prospective customers to meet with us, review and select the cars or services that meet their personal requirements and then establish a close relationship with Jaguar Land Rover Classic throughout the purchase process and beyond.” 

The expansive new Jaguar Land Rover Classic site will continually feature a selection of cars from the growing Jaguar Land Rover Classic collection, which is made up of a variety of important historic cars from the two great British brands. The Classic business will continue to offer customers the opportunity to experience some of these notable cars through its Classic Drives programme: http://www.jaguar.co.uk/about-jaguar/jaguar-classic/classic-driving.html

Customers will also be able to view and buy Jaguar and Land Rover Classic vehicles, which are restored through programmes like Land Rover ‘Reborn’*. Other models will also get a   similar treatment, allowing customers to experience classic Jaguars and Land Rovers as they were when they were first manufacture

JLR #2 - The SVO Business expands to increase staffing by an extra 250 people this year.

• Jaguar Land Rover is creating 250 jobs across its Special Operations division during 2016; an increase of nearly 25 per cent
• Special Operations is responsible for halo car products (Special Vehicle Operations), Vehicle Personalisation, classic car programmes by Jaguar Land Rover Classic and an exciting range of Branded Goods 
• Recruitment plan aligned to opening of new SVO Technical Centre and acquisition of new Jaguar Land Rover Classic headquarter facilities in UK

Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations today announces recruitment plans to support its ambitious growth strategy, with the creation of 250 new jobs this year.

Just two years after its creation in 2014, plans to increase the number of employees across Special Operations’ business areas is aligned to the £30m investment made in new headquarter facilities in the British Midlands for Special Vehicle Operations (£20m) and Jaguar Land Rover Classic (£7.5m).

John Edwards, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations Managing Director, said: “Today we employ just over 1,000 designers, engineers and technicians across four divisions in Special Operations.

“The team is energetic, enthusiastic and entrepreneurial. They are the principal reason that we have made a strong start in business since 2014.

“Now we have new facilities, technologies, products and services in place to exceed the demands of our most discerning customers all over the world. I look forward to strengthening our team and delivering on this fantastic opportunity.”

Since June 2014, Special Vehicle Operations has successfully launched the Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7 and incredible new, 200mph-capble F-TYPE SVR, as well as the formidable Range Rover Sport SVR and luxurious Range Rover SVAutobiography. Sales of SVO products across both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands totalled more than 3,600 in the 2015/16 financial year.

John Edwards said: “Our business plans are driven by the desire for ‘halo’ vehicles and other exclusive products from customers in all corners of the globe. The vision for Special Vehicle Operations is to launch one new SVO car every year, on average, for at least the next four years.”

These new products will be crafted at the new £20m Special Vehicle Operations Technical Centre at Oxford Road in Coventry. The new centre will contain four new areas, with a Commissioning Suite and Viewing Suite where experts will guide customers through the design and creation of their new vehicles. These vehicles become reality in the newly-established Manufacturing Facility, Paint Facility and Technical Suite. These new facilities, and the people working there, will be responsible for building the cars that represent the very pinnacle of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands, offering the ultimate in luxury, performance and capability.

Jaguar Land Rover Classic, which is responsible for the successful launches of continuation editions of the Jaguar Lightweight E-type and forthcoming XKSS, as well as the recent introduction of the Land Rover ‘Reborn’ restoration programme, will establish a new home in the British Midlands later this year, following acquisition of a new site near to the Special Vehicle Operations Technical Centre. The initial investment in this new facility totals £7.5m and the new site will house car sales, restorations, servicing and parts operations.