The manufacturer of the famous London taxi, the London Taxi Company (LTC), has made substantial progress developing its brand new model of a modern taxi, which will be equipped with an electric motor and a range extender in the form of a small petrol engine. The new taxi is expected to go on sale in Q4 2017.
According to LTC, the new taxi is part of "the most comprehensive product quality programme in its (LTC's) 98-year history", which also includes extreme cold climate testing (under temperatures of -15°C) in the lower reaches of the Arctic Circle in Norway. LTC decided to conduct such vigorous testing in order to "make sure the battery and range of the vehicle are not disproportionately affected by cold weather" and to "ensure the highest levels of quality, reliability and usability for demanding taxi usage cycles." They are also using the cold weather to test the quality of driver and passenger experience in harsh temperatures.
However, this is not the worst thing the new London taxi will experience, as they plan to have it cooled down in giant fridges to -49°C. This way, they want to guarantee that the vehicle will always start, no matter the cold.
LTC took the polar testing of its new electric taxi to Times Square, New York as well, allowing taxi drivers to observe their potential 'work machine' of the future on a large digital billboard.