The first six of the world’s most advanced electric black cabs took to the streets of London in October, as they entered the final phase of testing ahead of the January 2018 deadline for all newly licensed taxis to be ‘zero-emission capable’.

LEVC (formerly the London Taxi Co) has made the black cab in the UK for 69 years, and it has invested over £325 million in bringing a UK-built ‘zero-emissions capable’ taxi to the UK and international markets.

The test vehicles have already been through the most rigorous testing regime in the company’s history, including the extreme weather conditions in the Arctic and Death Valley.

LEVC CEO Chris Gubbey said: “We are incredibly excited to deliver the test vehicles to the streets of London. Made in the UK, this is set to be the best taxi in the world — for the best taxi service in the world.”

The drivers of the test fleet are real London cabbies, who will help to collect vital information such as the emissions savings being made from LEVC’s eCity technology and the performance of London’s charge point infrastructure.

New features include six seats, contactless card machines, onboard wi-fi, lap-top and USB charging, a panoramic roof, and a stronger aluminium body.

In addition, passengers can expect an unrivalled ride quality, class-leading wheelchair accessibility, air-conditioning, phone charging and a more spacious cabin.