London gets first fully electric taxi since 1899

Its predecessor had a range of 30 miles between each charge, a top speed of 12mph and man carrying a red flag in front. That was 1899.

One-hundred-and-ten years on and the first fully electric taxi to take to London's streets can go up to 187 miles on a single charge and can drive at speeds more suited to the modern road.

Based on the Nissan e-NV200 Evalia, the Dynamo Taxi will be the first 100 per cent electric cab in the capital since the Bersey.

It costs £55,495, but drivers will be able to claim £7,500 in government grant funding for electric cars.

The company said drivers will spend just £3-6 to cover 90 to 120 miles a day, the average distance a London taxi driver covers, which typically costs £25 a day.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said: “Air pollution is a national health crisis that is stunting the lung development of our children and leading to thousands of premature deaths.

“We have cut pollution by a third in central London by introducing the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone and worked tirelessly to clean up the bus and taxi fleet.”

He added: “Working with cabbies to go electric is a key part of our plans to improve London’s air quality.

“The Dynamo Taxi will accelerate the retirement of polluting diesel taxis from city streets across the UK, improving air quality, helping to tackle the climate emergency and to create a green economy.

“I’ve been delighted by the number of cabbies who have applied for our £42m fund to trade in their older, dirtier vehicles earlier – doing their bit to improve our filthy air.”