The Taxi Centre appointed LEVC franchise for Scotland and north-east England

Specialist dealer The Taxi Centre is entering the black cab and hackney market after agreeing a new partnership with London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC).

The dealer, part of the massive Vertu Motors dealer group, has been appointed sales and aftersales partner for LEVC in Scotland and north-east England. In a statement, The Taxi Centre said it had taken on the franchise to respond to demand from hackney drivers operating in towns and cities with Clean Air Zones (CAZ).

The UK Government has extended its Plug-in Taxi Grants (PiTG) scheme until financial year 2023-24, offering up to £7,500 of support to buyers of LEVC taxis. And in Scotland, taxi drivers can benefit from 0% loans through the Energy Savings Trust.

The Taxi Centre is offering five free services and two-year extended warranty packages on the first 50 new LEVC TX orders placed.

Steve Dunn has been appointed head of business for The Taxi Centre to support the new franchise, and Graeme Eagleson has been appointed the Field Sales Manager. The Glasgow showroom has also been refurbished.

Gregor Mackie, divisional operations director of Vertu Ventures, said: “Being appointed as an LEVC franchise is a significant milestone for The Taxi Centre, as we expand our offering to include hackney and black cab drivers, alongside the private hire sector.”

He added: “LEVC is at the cutting edge of practical electric vehicle technology, offering more than 300 miles of range with its innovative range-extender technology. This eliminates range anxiety for drivers.”

Richard Hudson, commercial director at LEVC, said: “We are delighted to welcome The Taxi Centre to our network, significantly expanding LEVC’s presence in the north of the UK. Together, LEVC and The Taxi Centre can support a reduction in city-centre emissions, helping to improve overall air quality in busy urban environments.”