Electric E7 Taxi Debuts in the UK

18 July 2008

Allied Vehicles, a UK vehicle adaptation specialist and supplier of minibuses and wheelchair accessible vehicles, is launching an electric taxi at the British International Motor Show in London, 23 July - 3 Aug. The new electric E7 taxi is powered by a Lithium-ion battery pack from Axeon Holdings plc.

The electric E7.

The electric E7—based on the purpose-built Peugeot E7 taxi—has a range of up to 100 miles (161 km) from a single charge and a top speed of 60 mph.

The electric E7 also provides full wheelchair access. With a large rear-passenger area, wheelchair users can enter the vehicle more easily and be turned into the correct position for travel, before being secured safely with wheelchair restraints and passenger seat belts. Each taxi is equipped with retractable side-steps and a specially designed, under-floor wheelchair ramp to further improve accessibility for disabled passengers.

Allied signed a £17.3 million supply agreement with Axeon for a minimum of 1,000 lithium-ion battery packs to power a range of zero-emission vehicles. Allied is building on its relationship with Peugeot to provide a 3.5 tonne rated delivery vehicle based on the Peugeot Boxer, while the Peugeot Expert body shell provides options for a 3 tonne rated delivery vehicle, an 8 seat minibus, and the taxi. Allied is also developing an electric 16 seat low floor city bus.

Allied Vehicles Group was established in 1993 and in 2008 it set up Zero Emission Vehicles subsidiary to launch its range of electric taxis, vans and minibuses.

(A hat-tip to John!)