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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Jasper Jolly and Mahika Ravi Shankar

Upcycling a black cab or bin lorry: growing industry converts old vehicles to electric

Black London cab plugged into to an electric charger with wall of red brick building behind.
Plugged in: Jasper Jolly behind the wheel of a retrofitted black London cab. Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian

By all rights the 2007 black cab driving through London on a sunny summer day should be on its way out. Taxis older than 12 years are not eligible for licences in the city, to try to cut air pollution. But this one is different: under its bonnet is an electric battery and motor.

That would not have been immediately obvious to the family trying to hail the Guardian’s cab on a test drive by the River Thames.

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