Taxi Driver Online

First electric taxi arrives on Horsham's roads

https://www.spiritfm.net/news/sussex-ne ... ams-roads/



An all-electric cab has taken to the roads of Horsham for the first time.

Horsham District have licensed the fully electric vehicle from Billingshurst-based taxi company Jake's Cars, at a much reduced rate for its first year of operation.

It was first used in the district on April 5th.

Horsham District Council's cabinet Member for public protection and housing, Cllr Kate Rowbottom, said: "I am delighted that we have been able to help drive down pollution emissions in the District.

"This is an excellent opportunity for us as a Council to support a local company actively wanting to reduce air pollution and it very much supports the Council’s commitment to being at the forefront of environmental innovations in transport."

The Council is offering its licensing discount for the first 12 months for any all-electric private hire or taxi cab in Horsham District.

It comes as the Government intends to move drivers away from traditional petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 urging them to shift to ultra-low and zero emission vehicles.

Commenting on the trend of new zero emission cars, Jake Edsor owner of Jake’s Cars said:

"I am very proud to have the first taxi like this in Horsham, it’s a great initiative and I am grateful to the Council for their help with this".

There are two rapid charge points in the District where cars can be charged and ready to go in 20 minutes, located in the car park of Storrington Library and at the Six Bells car park in Billingshurst.

The cost for using these points is £0.30 per kilowatt with a minimum charge of £1.50 and an overstay charge of £5 for more than one hour.

There are also slow charge points in Horsham in the North Street Car Park RH12 1RL which typically take three hours to charge.

Other charge points are available in Waitrose in Horsham, at Horsham British Rail Station and other locations linked to hotels.

If I was a TAXI proprietor in this district the Council would be told in no uncertain terms that it was breaking the law in giving a discount on the license fee for a TAXI,the 1976 Act makes it abundantly clear in Sections 48 & 55 were they are allowed to use their discretion in relation to charging the fee,TAXI(hackney carriage) are not mentioned in either section.Also it is breaching the equality Act.

I support the council in discounting fees for certain vehicles.

The law says a council can set fees, it doesn't tell them how they should come to an amount, or what that amount should be.

And if they want to offer a discount to a certain section of the trade, then so be it.

_________________
IDFIMH

Certainly better to *incentivise* some to run certain types of vehicles if the council thinks that desirable, as opposed to *ordering* some to meet designated standards - most obviously WAVs and electric vehicles - while others are allowed to adhere to less stringent specifications

It does say who you can not charge the fee,it definitely is not a TAXI(hackney carriage) therefor every license for a TAXI must be charged the same amount.

Not very cheap for charging £5.00 to park £1.50 min and 30p per kWh so that could be another 2 or 3 pound, would have thought since electric vehicles need a longer time to charge the parking would be scrapped

SKDC offer discounts for wavs,hybrids or electric cars but get very few takers the discount is not a lot of difference


but if you are saying this is a problem what about the large sums being paid to takers of the electric london cab to subsidise it's higher price

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Down here we are getting 200 lamp post charging points, at about 20p per kWh.

We are also planning for superchargers that will give you 80% in 10/20 minutes.

_________________
IDFIMH

So at 20P PKW
How much to fully charge??

Here you get a 25% discount if you have a car that is a hybrid or LPG etc, 25% discount if it is a WAV and a 100% discount if it is fully electric.
So if I have a fully electric WAV would I get money back from the Council.

_________________
Grandad,

One of my mates use to spend £80 a week on diesel in an old Mondeo, now spend about £6 a week in his electric car.

I think the council are expecting drivers to pay between 15p and 20p and a fully charge about £2.

The numbers are crazy, and to me it shows that in 10 years time I believe at least half of all cabs will be 100% electric.

_________________
IDFIMH

I’m waiting for someone to ask the question as to how electric charging points will work at busy taxi ranks.

No rush.

_________________
IDFIMH

irrelevant to most of us on here i'll be long gone by that time

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

The answer is in the road, or rank in our case.

https://www.techradar.com/news/wireless ... e-charging

_________________
IDFIMH

Depends on range and how many miles a driver covers in a shift.
I'd presume that a cab would be fully charged before starting work and if they do less than 100 miles in a shift it wouldn't need charging again. Once the range of EVs hits the 200 mile+ mark then it's no longer an issue.

This presumes the cab is'nt out 24 hours a day, has a spare 8 hours downtime to charge and the owner/driver can charge it at home before work. No-ones going to sit on a rank for several hours charging, but they may do a quick 10-20 minutes topup if it's quiet.