The Low Emission Taxi Guide Helping Local Authorities implement low emission taxi and private hire vehicle schemes This report is published by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and Energy Saving Trust Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership 3 Birdcage Walk, London, SW1H 9JJ Tel: +44 (0)20 7304 6880 Energy Saving Trust 30 North Colonnade London E14 5GP Tel: 020 7222 0101 Project Team: Gloria Esposito LowCVP, Maria Siakovelli and Ian Featherstone EST Date of Report: 1st September 2018 Acknowledgments The production of the Low Emission Taxi Guide has been sponsored by the Department for Transport and Autogas Limited. 4 The Low Emission Taxi Guide The Low Emission Taxi Guide 5 Contents 1 1 Introduction 6 1.1 What does this guide cover? 6 1.2 Impacts of TPH vehicles on road transport emissions 6 1.3 Defining low and ultra-low emission TPH vehicles 7 1.3 Why adopt low emission TPH vehicles? 7 1.4 The taxi and private hire market and fleet profile 8 1.5 An overview of taxi and private hire licensing 9 2 2 National measures to reduce road transport emissions 10 2.1 Air quality 10 2.2 Climate change 12 2.3 Government grants and incentives for low emission vehicles 12 3 3 Best practice guidance for local authorities 16 3.1 What to consider before making any policy changes 16 3.2 Local policy measures and initiatives 16 3.3 Policy case studies 19 3.4 Guidance for installation of EV charging infrastructure 22 4 4 Technology chapters 26 4.1 Battery electric taxi and private hire vehicles 26 4.2 Extended range and plug-in hybrid taxi and private hire vehicles 34 4.3 Hydrogen fuel cell taxi and private hire vehicles 38 4.4 Petrol, diesel and hybrid electric taxi and private hire vehicles 40 4.5 Liquefied petroleum gas taxi and private hire vehicles 42 Appendix 1 – Assumptions 46 Appendix 2 - Further information 47 6 The Low Emission Taxi Guide The Low Emission Taxi Guide 7 1 Introduction The low emission taxi and private hire vehicle 1.2 Impacts of TPH vehicles on road 1.3 Defining low and ultra-low emission 1.3 Why adopt low emission guide has two key audiences: transport emissions TPH vehicles TPH vehicles? 1. Local authorities who are required to reduce road transport In March 2017 there were 290,900 licensed TPH vehicles in A low emission vehicle (LEV) in terms of this guide is one that Benefits for Local Authorities emissions in order to achieve compliance with legal air England and Wales¹ and 23,353 in Scotland². While this is a complies with the minimum Euro emission standards below. Encouraging the adoption of low emission TPH vehicles can help quality standards, and mitigate climate change. The guide relatively small proportion of the 31.3 million licenced cars in Great These emission standards align those set in the UK Clean Air Zone improve local air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions outlines the latest available low emission vehicle technologies Britain at the end of 2017³, TPH vehicles have a disproportionate Framework and London Ultra Low Emission Zone. from road transport. Diesel TPH vehicles frequently operate at and fuels suitable for the taxi and private hire vehicle industry. impact on air quality impacting human health. This is due to the transport hubs such as rail and bus stations and at other busy In addition the guide will help taxi licensing authorities relatively high mileage they cover and their concentrations in Figure 2: Minimum emission standards for Low Emission TPH vehicles locations, therefore their impact on local air quality and the implement best practice policy measures and initiatives to busy urban areas such as railway stations, shopping malls and public’s exposure to air pollution is often greater than the overall accelerate the take up of clean and low carbon vehicles. supermarkets where large numbers of pedestrians are present. number of vehicles in operation would suggest. Therefore, the Emissions produced by these vehicles not only have an impact on adoption of low emission TPH vehicles can potentially have a 2. Taxi and private hire vehicle drivers who may be required to the health of the local population (almost all taxis and many private positive impact on residents’ health, reducing admissions to local switch to low emission vehicles in order to operate in their hire vehicles are fuelled by diesel) but also on TPH drivers who NHS departments. local and neighbouring towns and cities. The guide will help may be exposed to poor air quality for 8-12 hours a day. them choose the most appropriate vehicle technology for Benefits for operators their journey needs, and comply with licensing policies, and Road transport (including local road traffic and road traffic Euro 6 Euro 4 — Drivers and operators replacing their vehicles with LEV models other local policy interventions, aimed at improving local air background) is responsible for some 80% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) diesel petrol will not be required to pay a charge to enter a charging Clean quality. concentrations at roadside (Figure 1). Although diesel taxis are diesel hybrid petrol hybrid Air Zone (CAZ), the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) or other CVRAS/TfL approved LPG LPG conversion only responsible for 2% of the local road traffic xNO emissions repower diesel black taxi regional Low Emission Zone (LEZ) that include taxis and nationally, this rises significantly in cities¹,⁴ .In central London, the private hire vehicles; 1.1 What does this guide cover? latest London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI) 2013 states — Applying a whole life cost (WLC) analysis often shows that best that the NOx contribution from taxis is 18%⁵. LAs may seek to go further where appropriate and encourage in class vehicles are cheaper to operate than conventional and — Background information about the profile of the taxi private TPH vehicles that are ‘best in class’ for CO2 emissions. older technology vehicles; hire (TPH) fleet in the UK and its impact on road transport Figure 1: UK national average NOx roadside concentration Recommendations for saloon car standards are less than 110g/km — Existing grants offer financial support for the adoption of apportioned by source of NOx emissions, 2015 CO2 emissions, and wheelchair accessible vehicles less than 222g/ ULEVs as taxis; emissions. — An overview of the policy framework at national, regional and km CO2 emission. These could be applied in the standards used — LAs have introduced a variety of incentives that favour low local level relating to air quality, climate change and specifically for their contractor transport fleet procurement or TPH licensing emission TPH vehicles, such as reduced parking charges and Road traffic to TPH. background rules. priority use of taxi ranks; — Best practice guidance for Local Authorities (LAs) outlining 18% — Licensing rules may favour low emission taxis in the form of policies and measures to encourage the uptake of low Non-road Greater ambition can be delivered by transiting to ultra-low new licence availability or licence fees. emission taxis, and establish charging infrastructure. transport emission vehicles (ULEVs). The UK Government currently defines and mobile Local road — Presents a range of low emission technologies and fuels ULEVs as cars or vans achieving less than 75 g/km CO2 emissions. Benefits for customers machinery traffic suitable for TPH and matches these to current vehicles 5% 60% Currently all models categorised as ULEVs have an electrified TPH vehicles serve different purposes in urban and rural areas. available and different journey patterns. powertrain to some degree. In this guide we propose ULEV also Compared with other modes of transport, they provide a high Homes, — Provides an overview of electric vehicle charging and refuelling industry and achieve a minimum of 10 miles electric range. In 2017 53,203 degree of flexibility and convenience to passengers. In rural areas infrastructure. commerce ULEVs were registered in the UK which accounted for 1.7% of all in particular, TPH vehicles may be the only form of public transport 9% — Sets out the business, environmental and operational case for new vehicle registrations. available. Regional low emission TPH vehicles. background — Presents low emission taxi operator and licensing authority 8% Although ULEVs and ultimately zero tailpipe emission vehicles A low emission TPH vehicle may improve the customer case studies from different regions of the UK. are the end point of this transition, due to the range of social and experience: 8%, 1%, Cars Other economic circumstances found in the TPH trade around the — The journey in the lowest emission vehicles may be more The low emission technologies and fuels covered in the (petrol) (petrol) country, the early introduction of ULEVs is not always practical. comfortable for the passenger, as hybrids (when running in guide are: This guide therefore covers a range of low emission vehicle electric drive mode) and electric vehicles are quieter and 16%, technologies and fuels to help licensing authorities improve air smoother than conventional cars. Buses 35%, — Battery electric vehicles (BEV or pure EV) (diesel) Cars quality emissions while reducing CO2 emissions as much as is — The customer may consider the purchase of a LEV following — Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and extended range (diesel) possible. the positive experience of being driven in one. electric vehicles (E-REV) — Increased convenience if low emission TPH vehicles can — Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) access priority taxi ranks and ULEV only bus lanes. — Petrol, diesel and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) 18%, 2%, — Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - Repowering and conversion HGVs Taxis (diesel) (diesel) 22% Vans (diesel) Source: PCM modelling provided by Ricardo Energy & Environment (2017) Note: ‘Local road traffic’ in the large pie chart is the estimate of the proportion of local NOx roadside ¹ DFT Transport and Environment Statistics, 2016 concentrations contributed by traffic on that road and is shown in greater detail in the smaller ² Air Quality Action Plan for Nitrogen Dioxide in UK, Defra 2015 pie chart.