Six of the largest Nissan taxi fleets – Phoenix Taxis in Blyth, Northumberland, C&C Taxis in Cornwall, Premier Cabs in Blackpool, 203020 Electric in Dundee, eConnect Cars in London and eCorporate Travel in Edinburgh – have beaten the three million miles barrier between them.
With smaller fleets and independent operators also running Leaf and e-NV200 Combi EVs across Britain, the real figure is likely to be significantly higher.
A spokesperson for Nissan says there are currently more than 140 Nissan EV taxis in operation, with “dozens more on order and many taxi companies and local authorities taking steps to replace diesel and petrol equivalents with cleaner and cheaper EV alternatives”.
Had the same distance – equivalent to six journeys to the moon and back or 120 times around the world – been covered in diesel vehicles, fuel costs would have been some £350,000, generating an estimated 899 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions.
These electric vehicles’ ‘fuel’ costs, however, will have amounted to around £60,000 – saving the operators concerned £290,000.
Karl Anders, national EV manager at Nissan Motor (GB), says the average Nissan EV taxi is rapid charged – with 30 minutes delivering 80% charge from zero – hundreds of times a year.
Many Nissan EV taxi drivers are also taking home thousands of pounds extra per year as a result of the fuel savings, he says, citing 203020 Electric, in Dundee, where drivers are reported to be £120—130 a week better off.
“There can now be absolutely no doubt that the Nissan LEAF and e-NV200 make brilliant taxis,” states Anders.
“Operators across the UK have put them to the ultimate test – running them 24/7 and rapid charging them time and time again to keep them on the road and making money.”