New hybrid Hackney cab to lead fight back against Uber

Along with more legroom for the driver, six passengers seats and space for a wheelchair, the new cabs are also bringing back the rear-hinged door found on older cab designs.

The company didn’t share though any info about the technical details of the new TX5 apart from the fact that the new TX5 can run on electric power alone for extended periods and uses a four-cylinder petrol engine. There’ll also be Wi-Fi access and charging points for both drivers and passengers.

Zero-emission prototypes of a classic London taxi and red bus were showcased as models of China-Britain collaboration on the second day of President Xi Jinping’s state visit on October 21. The complex, which begins production in 2016, will have about 1,000 employees and is Britain’s first new auto plant in a decade, Geely said.

The new model is set to go on sale in the United Kingdom from 2017, one year before plans kick in for all taxis in the Capital to be zero emission, and will go on sale internationally in 2018.

The new cab was penned in Geely’s design studio in Barcelona with Volvo’s former design director Peter Horbury, responsible for Volvo’s design “ReVolvoLution” 15 years ago, playing a key role.

The London Taxi Company, now owned by Chinese manufacturer and current Volvo parent company, just unveiled their new TX5 taxi-cab. “The new vehicle has a wealth of new features, which will all be tried and tested and then tested again to provide a flawless balance of timeless design driven by ground-breaking technology”. “We’re confident we have that now”, said designer Peter Horbury, who oversaw the project. The new cab demonstrates “our competitive edge when it comes to delivering pioneering design and technology”. What do you think of the new design?”We have sought to build on existing features such as the headlights, grille and strong roof lines”.

Geely wishes to create at least a thousand of those by working on nine potential product variants, including light commercial vehicles. The Metrocab will also be ready to roll before the TX5, with general availability expected by the end of next year.