All London minicabs could be electric by 2030

Transport for London (TfL) has set out new plans which aim to make all minicabs in London fully electric by 2030.

TfL says that currently 70% of all private-hire vehicles (PHVs) in the capital are electric, and says increasing this to 100% is a "vital component" in creating a "healthier city".

The proposals aim for all newly licensed PHVs to be zero-emission from July 2028, with the exception of those that are wheelchair accessible, which would need to be zero-emission from July 2030.

Steve Wright, the chair of the Licensed Private Hire Car Association (LPHCA), said he believed the aspirations were "not achievable", with the cost of charging a vehicle "extremely expensive".

"We have consistently said that most PHV drivers generally don't have the ability to charge vehicles at home," he said.

"The time and cost of charging on-street is extremely expensive, alongside a lack of infrastructure. We will feed back this after speaking to our members via the consultation process."

TfL said the changes were needed as "road transport remains a major contributor to air pollution and carbon emissions in London".

It added that: "Air pollution impacts health in both the short and long term, with Londoners developing life-changing illnesses such as cancer, asthma and lung disease."

As well as minicabs needing to be fully electric, TfL says it will only offer licences to vehicles younger than 10 years old.

TfL forecasts suggest that, within 10 years, the proposed changes could reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from minicabs by 9% and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 35%.

Over 18 years, the forecast is these emissions would reduce by 97%.

Reacting to the new plans, Zak Bond, campaign manager at Clean Cities, said: "London has been leading the way in cleaning up its private-hire fleet, but going fully electric has to be the goal.

"It's great to see TfL proposing this crucial next step. These vehicles clock up far more miles than most cars, so switching them to fully electric will make a big difference to the air Londoners breathe.

"A clear deadline gives drivers confidence to plan their next purchase and businesses confidence to invest in charging."

Jemima Hartshorn, founder and director of Mums for Lungs told the BBC it was "a good small step in the right direction," but said more needed to be done, including tackling diesel vans.

"London has still not achieved the air pollution limits it should have achieved in 2010, so any step towards cleaning up our air is welcome," she said.

Christina Calderato, director of strategy at TfL, said: "Private-hire vehicles are a vital component in London's transition to becoming a more sustainable and healthier city with less pollution.

"Building on the progress that has already been made, this consultation sets out our proposals to strengthen those achievements and drive forward the transition towards a zero-emission fleet."

TfL added that although the consultation focused predominately on PHVs, TfL "continues to consider proposals" for a zero-emission requirement for London's black taxis in the future.

The consultation runs until Wednesday 2 December 2026.

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