£5,000 grant to help Oxford taxi drivers go electric

Oxford’s licenced Hackney Carriage drivers can access a £5,000 grant to help them switch to an electric vehicle, thanks to funding from Energy Superhub Oxford.

The grant is available now as a contribution towards the costs of purchasing a new Ultra Low Emission Hackney Carriage.

It is part of a range of measures available from Oxford City Council to help taxis drivers transition to electric vehicles, ahead of the Zero Emission Zone Pilot. The grant will provide funding for up to 17 Hackney Carriage taxis to go electric.

Combined with a contribution grant from LEVC, and the Government Plug-in-Grant, this means that taxi drivers can save around £12,200 (22%) on the cost of a new TX electric taxi costing £55,600, or an all-electric Nissan Dynamo costing £55,495.

Currently there are seven electric taxis in Oxford – five Hackney Carriage, and two private hire – with uptake expected to increase with the introduction of the Zero Emission Zone Pilot. By 2025 only zero-emission cabs will be able to get a licence.

Commenting on the funding, Councillor Tom Hayes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford said: “The newest UN climate report is sounding a “code red” for the planet. With this grant funding of £5000 per taxi, we’re helping drivers to do what they all want to do—keep the city moving, but doing so without polluting our lungs or the planet. By switching to electric, local taxi drivers will make big financial and carbon savings.”

Supportive measures for taxis

The grant funding is just one of a range of measures being offered by Oxford City Council to help taxi drivers make the switch to an electric vehicle. These include:

• Free EV introductory course for Private Hire Vehicle drivers in Oxford (3 September)
• Free EV introductory course for Private Hire Vehicle drivers in Oxford (14 September)
• Work to install up to 16 rapid charging point bays for e-taxis
• A free Try Before You Buy Scheme with two electric Hackney Carriages which is running until December 2021
• Financial support for licensing ultra-low emission Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles
• ODS, the commercial arm of Oxford City Council, is an approved authorised service dealer for LEVC TX electric black cabs
• Clipper Automotive offers upgrades for TX4 black cabs to become 100% electric

Find out more

Hackney Carriage drivers who are interested in the funding, or would like to find out more should email AirQuality@oxford.gov.uk.