News

Mercedes and Uber Form Partnership

Mercedes and Uber Form Partnership

Mercedes and parent company Daimler have announced a partnership with ride-sharing app Uber, with the aim of manufacturing and operating fleets of self-driving taxis.

The two companies are looking to learn and eventually capitalise from each other’s areas of expertise. Mercedes would lead the way in the engineering and manufacturing of the vehicles, while Uber would offer significant input on the autonomous and ride-sharing technologies used.

Writing about t...

Nissan LEAF Continues Strong Sales

Nissan LEAF Continues Strong Sales

Nissan’s LEAF and e-NV2000 models are continuing to dominate the market, with sales figures for November 2016 showing strong performances from the two electric vehicles.

Figures show that sales of the LEAF during November were up 115% on the previous year, making it the fastest growing model in the increasingly competitive C-segment. The sales growth worked to secure the LEAF’s continuing status as the UK’s best-selling all electric vehicle, with a share...

Nissan’s Electric Taxis Reach the Three Million Mark

Nissan’s Electric Taxis Reach the Three Million Mark

Nissan recently announced that taxi drivers have now carried passengers over three million miles of the UK’s roads in their market-leading electric cars, the Nissan LEAF and the Nissan e-NV200 Combi.

While there’s always something to be said for sticking to what you know, more and more taxi drivers on the UK’s roads are beginning to discover the myriad benefits that electric vehicles enjoy.

In a practical sense, few modes of transport...

Vehicle Tax Rates Set to Change

Vehicle Tax Rates Set to Change

From 1st April 2017 the way vehicle tax is calculated is set to change, with all vehicles purchased after that date subject to new tax requirements.

New rates are still calculated on vehicle emissions; however, rather than being set at a consistent yearly fee, after 12 months rates will lower. This means that the initial new rates for vehicles may seem much higher, ranging from £10 for the first year, up to £2000 for the highest emission vehicles. In addition, ...

Taxi Sharing Could Reduce Congestion

Taxi Sharing Could Reduce Congestion

The issue of congestion is a big concern for drivers in UK cities, with charges, increased investment in public transport, and even self-driving vehicles offered up by authorities as an attempt to fix the problem.

However, a new study has shown that a real solution may be much simpler. Recent tests by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that increasing ridesharing in taxis has the potential to significantly decrease the amount of traffic on ...

London to Get 100 New Taxi Ranks

London to Get 100 New Taxi Ranks

London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, has announced new plans to build 100 new taxi ranks across London.

Khan’s plans will increase London’s total taxi ranks from 500 to 600 over the next four years. Additionally, an extra 20 bus lanes will be opened up for cabbies to use. Khan has also stated his intention for the London-centric test cab drivers must pass, ‘The Knowledge’, to be accredited as a formal qualification, which could enable successful applicants to a...

DVSA to Scrap Assessments and Cut License Waiting Times

DVSA to Scrap Assessments and Cut License Waiting Times

From 31st December 2016 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will cease to provide local council taxi driving assessments.

Around 200 council areas around the UK require drivers to first take a DVSA before becoming qualified drivers. The DVSA says that the move to scrap the taxi assessments is a response to concerns about waiting times for learner drivers. In recent years the many learner drivers have been hit with increasingly l...

Hailo Merges with MyTaxi

Hailo Merges with MyTaxi

UK based rideshare company Hailo has announced it is to merge with European taxi app mytaxi. The move has been overseen by the German auto multinational Daimler, who acquired mytaxi in 2014. With the merger complete, Daimler will own 60% of Hailo, with a majority share on the company’s board.

Founded in 2011 by former drivers and tech entrepreneurs, Hailo allows drivers of licensed vehicles to take bookings through a mobile phone app. Hailo also operated a Private Hir...

Uber Introduces Advanced Bookings

Uber Introduces Advanced Bookings

One of Uber’s main disadvantages compared to its competitors has always been its lack of advanced bookings, with users only able to make bookings at the time of travel.

However, Uber has finally announced that it is adding an advanced booking feature, which will allow users to schedule rides up to 30 days before they actually happen.

The feature is expected to first roll out in London, before becoming available throughout the rest of the UK. In addition, only...

Mercedes-Benz Plans Fleet of Electric Vehicles

Mercedes-Benz Plans Fleet of Electric Vehicles

Mercedes-Benz has become the latest auto manufacturer to explore alternative fuel options, with the announcement that the company is planning to unveil a new fleet of electric vehicles.

According to Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche, the German manufacturer is on track to unveil a new electric vehicle at this September’s Paris motor show. However, insiders at Mercedes-Benz have stated that the company’s plans extend further than one vehicl...