While not exactly common sights on American streets, classic English taxis do show up on this side of the Atlantic from time to time. So, aside from being in fairly nice condition, this Austin FX4 cab, recently spotted under rather British weather conditions in Elizabethtown, PA, might not be worthy of much note. But wait, there is something a little unusual…
…the script on the left fender (or should I say wing?) reads “Electric”. I had no idea there were battery-powered versions of these cars. Except there aren’t. FX4s (built 1958 to 1997) were powered by a variety of small diesels, and as far as I can tell no factory straight electrics (nor hybrids) were made. So what’s the story here?
You have to love the Internet. After a bit of research, I discovered the web site of a guy in nearby Lancaster, PA who is bananas for the perceived environmental benefits of electric vehicles, and who masterminded the taxi conversion. This is actually the third such vehicle turned out by his shop, following on from earlier conversions of a Saab 96(!) and Mazda Miata. Here’s a shot of the Saab, because one can never have enough pics of old Saabs, electric or not:
Photobucket.com
Tasteful, no? Apparently, the London taxi build was mostly facilitated through award of a components package when one of the builder’s earlier vehicles won a 2011 contest for gas-to-electric conversions.
According to my reading, the conversion project took about four years to complete. Although the car appears more or less stock externally, much more had to be done than simply replacing the (broken) 2.5 liter Leyland diesel with an electric motor and stuffing in some lithium-ion batteries.
A total of 50 Li-ion cells, under bonnet and boot (28 front, 22 rear) provide the motivation for a NetGain WarP 11 (yes, that’s how it’s spelled) DC motor; apparently this is a popular choice for these types of conversions. While I’m a bit shaky on the power calculations, it appears the motor will handle up to about 170 volts, outputting around 110 peak HP; continuous rating is approx. 35 HP at 72 volts. To get the power to the wheels, the (also broken) Borg-Warner automatic transmission originally fitted has been exchanged for a T5 manual from a 1990 Mustang.
Aside from the drivetrain modifications, the most time-consuming structural changes included fabricating new mounts for the electric motor and transmission, constructing the boxes for the batteries, adding air-conditioning, fabricating a new dashboard and console, and replacing the brake lines and wiring harness. There was also a lengthy wait for delivery of a custom-made adaptor plate for the transmission.
Sorry for the poor visibility of the interior. The original (and flimsy) plastic fascia has been replaced with one fabricated from part of the tailgate from a Chevy station wagon, to support additional components such as control boxes for battery heaters. Although the old automatic shift handle and telltale remain present, a floor-mounted shifter appears to have been installed.
Aside from the “Electric” badging, the only other really noticeable external change is conversion of the old fuel filler to a plug-in receptacle. I was unable to find any stated range information, but the Saab and Mazda apparently can run about 100 miles with fewer cells, so the Austin should be good for at least that.
All in all, a fairly clean installation (in all senses) and the builder deserves credit for keeping visual changes to a minimum.
If you’d like to see more of the nuts ‘n’ bolts aspect of the conversion, a series of videos on the project can be found on YouTube: search under “electric conversion of a London Taxi”.
Additional reading:
Paul Niedermeyer on the original FX4
I’ve been saying for years: Toyota needs to ditch cars like the Prius C and build a Prius that looks like an MR2 or Celica….or like a Mazda Miata.
I think this might be the only car I’ve heard of where the automatic transmission was swapped along with the engine….almost no one builds an electric car with a manual transmission.
Considering all the custom pieces and consequent hand-building involved, that London Taxi must have been quite expensive to build.
Honda offers the sports hybrid CR-Z, but it makes little sense to me, for who drives a sports car to minimize fuel use? Compare to the old CR-X.
I guess I should have elaborated: I’d like to see a company as big as Toyota build an EV or small hybrid that isn’t shaped like a large drop of water. Yes, I realize that that is THE most fuel efficient shape, yet with C.A.F.E. of 54 MPG nearly here, car companies still manage to build cars that look “normal”.
And since I also wouldn’t buy a small sports car (or even one as big as a Mustang) to haul building supplies home from Home Depot, trunk size/length isn’t a huge consideration….no pun intended.
2016 Prius Cd: .24 (.1 less than 2015 which we have)
2015 Camry Hybrid Cd: .28
The Camry likely has a larger cross-sectional area (which with Cd comprises drag force). Evidently that plus the .04 difference must matter somehow. Tires may also be a factor.
The Camry hybrid also is heavier, and uses a larger 2.4L engine. It’s not going to be as efficient as the Prius by design.
People seem to forget the CRX HF in these discussions. It was the “fuel miser” version with a smaller, efficiency-tuned engine. I think it could pull down around 50 MPG highway (using the old calculation method).
So even in the CRX’s heyday, there were quite a few who bought them to minimize fuel use.
I think the CR-Z’s main problem is that it’s odd-looking, plus the decline in popularity of sporty coupes and coupes in general.
I’m guessing that the aerodynamics of the Prius series are a big part of their fuel mileage. Unfortunately, the looks go along with the aerodynamics. That’s one reason I don’t mind getting less fuel mileage with the Camry hybrid: it looks and feels like a normal car. It also seems more stable in crosswinds than the Prius does.
Though I’m not an aerodynamicist, the main difference I see in the Prius is its very steep hood/windshield rake & its more streamlined underbody. FWIW, the new Accord Hybrid is about as good — in the city.
BTW you give up cargo space with any EV or hybrid, that’s another downside. I brought home some 10′ drain pipes in my Civic LX sedan; I couldn’t have done that with a Civic Hybrid.
My wife is a Camry fan as I am, but she really wanted that 50+mpg. It’s to save $$, not the ?.
>>Considering all the custom pieces and consequent hand-building involved, that London Taxi must have been quite expensive to build.<<
I've seen motor-controller packages in the $8-9K range; minus any custom fabrication or labor, so yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if he has maybe $20-25K in it.
> I think this might be the only car I’ve heard of where the automatic transmission was swapped along with the engine….almost no one builds an electric car with a manual transmission.
From what I’ve read, most electric car conversions use a manual transmission. No torque converter power losses, no need to control the computer which modern automatics use to control the valvebody for shifting.
electric motors have peak torque at zero RPMs
Therefore, a transmission should not be very important. I would think 2 speeds should be sufficient.
They typically just lock it in 2nd. Gives good gearing, efficiency, and no need for gear changes
An issue with EVs is cabin heating & cooling. This is one advantage of traditional internal combustion engines, with excess energy to spare at all times. Hybrids like the Prius must run this engine in order to heat the car, reducing MPG. We found that mileage dropped to the 40s while driving with the heater on.
This is also why the Prius has electric steering & brakes, to eliminate dependence on the engine. I’ve never been a big fan of such engine-powered accessories anyway, but they’re practically req’d with all but the smallest cars. And EVs & hybrids are usually too heavy for unassisted brakes.
We have a Camry hybrid; the drive train is similar to that of the Prius. Yes, the engine has to run periodically to heat the car, and it has to run periodically in the summer to keep the battery pack charged to run the A/C–the compressor is electric. So we lose a bit of fuel mileage in the depths of winter and in the summer, but at least the cooling stays on in the summer when the car is sitting at a traffic light, even when the engine is stopped.
So I assume it’s more economical to run the ICE to provide heat than to generate it electrically? And, for that matter, how do plug-in electrics like this car, the Tesla, and Leaf do it?
I assume it’s an electric heater like those small home space heaters, but those things suck a lot of power.
The FX4 has now mostly gone from London, and the latest LTI taxis still use diesel engines, usually Nissan or Ford.
The London Taxi company went in administration a few years ago and was purchased by Geely of China, who have shown but not yet sold some hybrid and electric options. Something’s coming, and assembly could even still be in Coventry
It’s ironic that in a culture so averse to manual labor, people have to exercise to keep waistlines at bay. How about having joggers pull Asian-style rickshaws instead? They’re safer for pedestrians, & you make money instead of paying gym fees.
In my current city (Richmond, VA) and my last one (Durham, NC) during the warm months you often see pedal-powered rickshaws in the downtown and entertainment districts. Granted they’re more used to ferry people between bars/restaurants/nightclubs/athletic events than for normal day-to-day transportation, but there is a market for them.
It helps that both cities are home to large universities, as the drivers (pedalers?) almost invariably seem to be college-aged.
Still see a few about, these were known as bombers when I lived in Blackpool Lancashire
Nice conversion. I like the straight forwardness of the conversion.
I wonder why there aren’t any basic, pure transportation, no frills hybrid or pure electric car, that maximizes range. By basic I mean no electric windows, seat, LCD display, GPS, computer, Wi-Fi, and other energy-robbing amenities that would otherwise detract from range.
I suppose the only amenities that would have to be electric-powered would be radio, heater, defogger/defroster, air conditioning, brakes, steering and lighting.
Am I the only one who would want such an animal?
Electric cars that emphasizes performance, e.g. acceleration and top speed at the expense of range makes no sense to me.
I suppose Tesla has to justify its high price by offering great performance, which electric motors can certainly deliver.
No-frills cars seem hard to find in any segment today; luxury has been democratized. Who would’ve imagined economy cars with std. power locks & windows? Buyers may say they’re Green, but that doesn’t mean they’ll deny themselves all the Epicurean goodies offered by corporate capitalism. REI is another example.
The Leaf is about the closest you can get to that. I imagine it has power windows and an LCD display like pretty much everything else these days, but are there a lot of luxury goodies on top of those?
Zero Emission cabs are nothing new. I bought this one as a souvenir during a trip to London in 1978. The friction motor still functions beautifully. I also went for a brief ride in a real one on the same trip. As others have said on this website, they definitely have a Tardis-like quality to them. You step into a rather smallish car, and sit down in a rather spacious car. Bigger on the inside!
Hah! Zero Emission Cabs in miniatur scale… Well, that can be topped: I have TWO London Taxi Cabs in 1:1 just outside in my driveway, and they’re THAT friendly to all friends of earth. Zero emission for sure, because their “small” 2.7 litre Nissan-engines have fallen into silence months ago. I’m trying hard to find a starter battery. But, hey! Could I borrow one (or two) from the Saab or the Miata…?
I’d take the FX/4 Electric any day over a Tesla. I find it better looking for one thing. The FX4 looks like it’d have more room for people than you ever could with a Tesla. For someone in a wheelchair, or perhaps an electric wheelchair, it looks more practical than a Tesla.
The Honda N-box Kei-car has a cool wheelchair capability in a tiny package:
Look down the page: http://www.honda.co.jp/Nboxplus
However, I don’t see enough space for batteries in an EV version.
The burgundy accents and painted wheels on this one work really well. Nicely done conversion, lots of usable space (except for that boot full of batteries), good range and attention-getting looks. Very cool!
Actually the batteries in the rear have been placed below the floor of the boot, leaving most of that storage still available. You can barely see the battery box protruding down in the last picture.
Thanks GGH06 for the nice write-up. I’d be happy to take the bait about the “perceived” environmental benefits of driving electric, if you’d ever want. 😀 Cheers!
More taxi info:
http://www.amprevolt.com/content/austin-underway-taxi-pt-2
More general EV conversion info:
http://www.ampREVOLT.com
The PA license plate fits exactly where the original Public Carriage Office (which controls London cabs) plate would have been on the bootlid. Nice detail.