Half of London’s iconic black cabs are now electric, and you can Uber one too

Published

2 years ago

December 7, 2023

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credit: LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company)

If you’re in London and looking to hail one of its legendary black taxis, there’s a good chance you’ll get an emissions-free ride. Half of London’s fleet of 15,000 black cabs are now all-electric vehicles. And starting next year, you can Uber one too – a huge coup for a company once banned in London and loathed by taxi drivers all the world.

A new announcement from manufacturer LEVC and Transport for London (TfL) says that 50% of London’s black taxis are now battery electric vehicles, with most manufactured by Geely’s LEVC. While the first EV taxis hit the London streets in 2018, the number of electric models has spiked 10% just in the last month.

“Reaching this milestone is a great reflection of how London is working hard to be a greener, more sustainable, environmentally friendly city,” said TfL’s Helen Chapman. “London’s black taxis are recognized worldwide and we are proud to see that so many drivers are helping clean up the air.”

What makes London’s black cabs unique is that, in addition to being independently owned and licensed under strict rules from the TfL, cabbies are known for “the Knowledge,” an ability to locate landmarks in the city with absolute accuracy. Cab drivers study for up to three years and spend a huge amount of cash to get that education: around £10,000 (about $12,500).

TfL has already required that all new cabs licensed in London be zero-emissions capable since 2018, and that rule was extended to private minicabs last year. Of course, drivers with more polluting vehicles have been required to pay a daily rate of what is now £12.50 to operate London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone. The majority of London’s largest taxi and minicab services are committed to fully electric fleets by 2025. London’s largest taxi operator Addison Lee, which has VW ID4s in its fleet, aims to reach that goal by 2023.

Last week, Uber announced that it will start listing London’s black taxies in its app, a huge win for a company once banned in the city and which has obviously been at odds with the taxi industry. While the service won’t be available until early next year, not everyone is jumping onboard, with many holding off and a trade union denouncing the plan.

“We have no interest in sullying the name of London’s iconic, world-renowned black cab trade by aligning it with Uber, its poor safety record, and everything else that comes with it,” Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association told Reuters. He also pointed out that you can book a black cab via other apps, including Gett, Taxiapp, FreeNow, and ComCab.

Of course, Uber aims to win over cabbies with hard-to-resist incentives, such as a £150 bonus package for new signups and an additional £250 bonus to drivers after completing their first trip on the Uber platform. Drivers of black taxis will also pay no service fees for the first six months following the launch of the service, which sweetens the deal considerably.

Last year, Uber landed a deal to list 14,000 of New York’s yellow taxis in its app, and the company has already signed deals with taxi fleet operations in Paris, Rome, and Los Angeles last year.

Photo credit: LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company)

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Environment

Exxon earnings fall on lower oil prices as OPEC+ raises production

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1 hour ago

October 31, 2025

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Exxon earnings fall on lower oil prices as OPEC+ raises production

An Exxon Mobil gas station in Lorton, Virginia, US, on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025.

Luke Johnson | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Exxon Mobil on Friday reported third quarter earnings that fell year over year, as oil prices tumbled due in large part to OPEC+ increasing production.

Exxon’s net income fell 12% to $7.55 billion, or $1.76 per share, compared to $8.6 billion, or $1.92 per share, in the year ago period. Excluding one-time items, the oil major posted earnings per share of $1.88.

U.S. crude oil prices have fallen about 16% this year as OPEC+ is increasing production and President Donald Trump’s tariffs have the market worried about an economic slowdown.

Exxon shares were down more than 1% in premarket trading.

Here is what Exxon reported for the third quarter compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

Earnings per share: $1.88 adjusted.
Revenue: $85.3 billion, vs. $87.7 billion expected

CEO Darren Woods said Exxon posted its highest earnings per share compared to similar quarters when oil prices were falling. Profits also took a hit due to bottom-of-cycle margins in its chemicals business.

However, production in Exxon’s lucrative offshore assets in the South American nation of Guyana hit a quarterly record of more than 700,000 barrels per day. Its assets in the Permian Basin also set a production record of nearly 1.7 million bpd.

Overall, Exxon produced 4.77 million bpd in the quarter.

Exxon’s production business recorded earnings of $5.68 billion, while its refining business posted a profit of $1.8 billion. Its chemicals product business saw earnings of $515 million.

The oil major’s capital expenditures stand at about $21 billion so far this year. It expects spending in 2025 to come in slightly below the lower end of its guidance range of $27 billion to $29 billion.

Exxon gave back $9.4 billion to shareholders in the quarter and raised its fourth-quarter dividend to $1.03 per share.

Environment

Chevron earnings beat Wall Street estimates as oil production hits record boosted by Hess acquisition

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2 hours ago

October 31, 2025

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Chevron earnings beat Wall Street estimates as oil production hits record boosted by Hess acquisition

Signage outside the Chevron Corp. headquarters in Houston, Texas, US, on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025.

Mark Felix | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Chevron on Friday reported third-quarter financial results that beat Wall Street estimates, as the company achieved record production due in part to its acquisition of Hess Corporation.

The oil major’s net income declined 21% to $3.54 billion, or $1.82 per share, compared with $4.49 billion, or $2.48 per share, in the same period last year. Its earnings decreased year over year due to falling oil prices and a $235 million loss on transaction costs associated with the Hess acquisition.

Excluding costs associated with Hess and foreign currency impacts, Chevron earned $1.85 per share, beating Wall Street estimates of $1.71 per share.

Here is what Chevron reported for the third quarter compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

Earnings per share: $1.85 adjusted vs. $1.71 expected
Revenue: $49.73 billion vs. $49.01 billion expected

U.S. crude oil prices have fallen about 16% this year as OPEC+ increases production and President Donald Trump’s tariffs have the market worried about an economic slowdown.

Even with lower prices, Chevron pumped a record 4.1 million barrels per day, a 21% increase compared with the same period last year. Higher production came from the Hess acquisition, the Permian Basin, the Gulf of Mexico and Kazakhstan, according to the company.

Chevron’s U.S. production business posted a profit of $1.28 billion, down 34% compared with $1.95 billion in the third quarter of 2024. It pumped 2 million barrels per day, up 27% from 1.6 million bpd in year-ago period.

International production recorded earnings of $2 billion, down 24% compared with $2.64 billion in the same quarter last year. Production increased 16% to 2 million bpd compared with 1.76 million bpd in the year-ago period.

Profits increased more than 300% to $638 million in Chevron’s downstream U.S. refining business, compared with $146 million in the third quarter of 2024. International refining posted earnings of $499 million, up 11% from $449 million in the year-ago period. Refining profits increased year over year due to higher margins on product sales.

Capital expenditures increased 7% to $4.4 billion over the year-ago quarter due to spending on legacy Hess assets. Chevron’s adjusted free cash flow increased about 50% to $7 billion over the year-ago period.

Environment

California quietly kills e-bike voucher program, funnels funds into cars instead

Published

4 hours ago

October 31, 2025

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California quietly kills e-bike voucher program, funnels funds into cars instead

California’s ambitious statewide electric bicycle incentive program is officially dead – and it didn’t even get a funeral. After years of buildup, delays, and surging public interest, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has quietly ended the program, rolling the remaining $17 million of the original $30 million budget into its “Clean Cars 4 All” initiative without even making an official announcement.

The California E-Bike Incentive Project was originally hailed as a groundbreaking effort to make electric bikes affordable for low-income residents. Vouchers – not rebates – were designed to let buyers walk into a participating shop and ride out without covering the full price upfront. Base vouchers were worth $1,000, with up to $2,500 available for those purchasing cargo or adaptive e-bikes in priority communities. It was a model that other states were watching closely.

But from the outset, the program was plagued by setbacks. Years of delays meant the first vouchers weren’t distributed until late 2024, and even then, only after a chaotic launch that saw the website crash under the weight of tens of thousands of applicants vying for just 1,500 vouchers. A second launch attempt in April 2025 failed completely, locking out eligible users. While a final distribution round in May went more smoothly, an estimated 90% of eligible applicants were turned away due to limited supply.

To make matters worse, the program’s administrator, Pedal Ahead, came under fire for questionable practices in San Diego, further undermining confidence.

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Now, with no formal announcement or update on the program’s official website, CARB has quietly absorbed the funds into its Clean Cars 4 All program.

Electrek’s Take

This is an enormous letdown.

The California E-Bike Incentive Project had the potential to reshape car-heavy communities by giving low-income Californians access to clean, affordable micromobility. Instead, it was starved by mismanagement and then cannibalized to prop up car-centric policy.

It’s not that electric cars don’t deserve support, but this move reflects a broader failure of imagination. If we want a future with fewer cars, not just cleaner ones, then we need to start funding real alternatives. This was a huge missed opportunity to invest in a more livable California.