Transport for London's (TfL) ambitious "green vision" for the capital's iconic black cabs is facing an unexpected roadblock, as many drivers of zero-emission capable (ZEC) vehicles are opting to power their cabs with petrol rather than endure the high costs and inconvenience of public electric charging.

Introduced in 2018, the LEVC TX hybrid electric model was heralded as a cornerstone of TfL's new regulations, requiring newly licensed cabs to be ZEC. However, a significant number of drivers are finding the economic and logistical realities of public charging untenable.

Gary Thatcher, 48, a cab driver for three years, starkly articulated the dilemma: "The cost of public charging and time to charge the vehicle is why I just fill it with petrol.

"It can take an hour out of your work to publicly charge. If you don’t live in a high rise flat, or accommodation that cannot charge from home, you will just use petrol."

Thatcher, a Kent resident, admitted he has never once used public charging in his three years with a ZEC cab, consistently relying on petrol.

He added: "The narrative is let’s get everything green, but the whole thing is rubbish. You are just moving the pollution to somewhere else in the world.”

While 60% of London's black cabs were ZEC by early 2025, and the capital boasts over 21,000 public charging points, the financial disparity between home and public charging is a major deterrent. Data from Zap-Map shows that while home charging averages a cost-effective 6p per mile, public charging rockets to 17p per mile – more expensive than petrol or diesel.

Steve Garelick, a trade union officer at GMB Union, underscored the drivers' predicament: "If drivers want to earn a living, then they aren’t going to want to sacrifice some of their shift to charge their vehicle."

He further explained: "With the high cost of public charging, it doesn’t make a difference if you fuel your cab with petrol or electricity. Even if a driver can charge their vehicle at home at a cheap rate, it will still be expensive if they work at night and charge their vehicle at a home during the day."

Garelick stressed the national scope of the issue, stating: "This is not just unique to London, but nationally drivers lack the infrastructure required. We want to see a healthy London, but it has to be well thought out. There is a financial burden on cab drivers, who are considered low hanging fruit.”

In response to the challenges, a TfL spokesperson confirmed their proactive stance, stating: "In 2023 TfL wrote to the previous government calling for the reduction in VAT to 5 per cent for public charge points to match domestic charging rates, recognising the impact of these costs on key user groups of London’s EV infrastructure, including taxis and private hire vehicles, and for those without access to off-street parking.”

As London strives for a greener future, the current charging infrastructure and cost models appear to be driving some black cab drivers back to the pump, highlighting a significant hurdle in the city's transition to a fully electric fleet.

• Share on Facebook
• Share to X