Tesla Electric Cars Substituting Taxis for Leeds’ Cab Company

A taxi company from Leeds is going to invest over £ 5 m in the first-ever all-electric car fleet in town.

Arrow Cars, headquartered in Horsforth, is to substitute its current fleet of taxis with Tesla Model 3 cars to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.

Arrow said it was moving towards sustainable travel as a result of consumer demand and wishes to wrap up this move by 2024.

Three years ago, however, the company plotted to invest in the emissions-free fleet but canceled the plan after the bosses of the City Council of Leeds rejected a request by it to allow vehicles access to the bus lanes in the city.

Arrow, with its employed 750 drivers in five cities across the country, has now decided to carry out the plan regardless, with the first Teslas to start service over the next month.

The managing director of Arrow Cars, Daniel Graham, said: “Electric vehicles aren’t something for the future, this is currently happening.

“We decided to offer something distinct to our customers from diesel cars. Whether our corporate clients, their customers, or individuals, everything is pushed for more sustainable development. This move isn’t a small investment.

Mr. Graham hoped Arrow’s move would result in rival firms trying to follow this step and invest in electric cars to serve their passengers.

As at now, the bus lanes in Leeds can only be used by so-called private taxis for hire, or black and white cabs.

Graham said that he and his company were frustrated by the Council’s refusal in 2017 to grant them the free pass to use the bus lane system, which was said to have helped contribute to thousands of emissions-free trips.

“We’re not suggesting something completely unreasonable or something not occurring anywhere else,” he added.

“Other United Kingdom cities allow electric vehicles in bus lanes. If you were to think about the number of other firms following us, it would have been thousands of free emissions trips.

“But it’s terrific that Leeds is finally starting this operation and we’ll have a zero-emission fleet early if all goes well. Tesla, the enterprise and the automobiles it manufactures, are the brainchild of tech billionaire Elon Musk. “It’s a big amount of money, but we have invested often as a firm.” Earlier this month, after being traded on second-hand stores, it was accused of removing £ 6,000 ($8,000) worth of driver support functions of the vehicle. 

“All other cities across the UK are allowing electric vehicle on bus lanes. We would have been speaking about thousands of free emission trips and talking of  the number of  businesses following us.” But it is excellent that Leeds is finally launching this project. Tesla company and the cars it manufactures are Elon Musk’s brainchild. “It is a massive amount of money, but as a firm, we have invested a great deal,” It stands accused of taking £ 6,000 ($8,000) worth of driver support from the vehicle earlier in this month after being traded to second-hand stores.