First Electric Taxi In County

The first electric taxi in Carmarthenshire has been licensed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Andrew Paul Morgans of AJ’s Taxis, Park View, Llanelli, has been granted a licence for a Nissan Leaf Electric Car. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Morgans asked today’s meeting of the county council’s licensing committee to grant him an exemption from the licensing condition that says that a hackney carriage vehicle must have an engine capacity of at least 1200cc. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A report by senior licensing officer Justin Power said: “This vehicle features an advanced 24kwh or 30kwh rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack designed to provide clean, reliable power and therefore does not meet the current Engine Capacity Licence Condition. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This vehicle is fully compliant with all other conditions of licence for hackney carriage vehicles.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Morgans told the committee: “We were looking for the most economical and environmentally-friendly car and this came on top. There are taxi companies across the UK using this car successfully. We would be the first down here.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Executive board member for environmental and public protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “It’s very exciting that Carmarthenshire now has its first licensed electric taxi. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’m delighted AJ’s Taxis see having one of these innovative and environmentally-friendly vehicles as making sense for their business and have taken the opportunity to add it to their fleet.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​