LONDON TAXI AGE LIMITS: Mercedes-Benz Vito taxi retrofit kit passes first stage of TfL testing
A three-year age limit extension on Mercedes-Benz Vito taxis could soon be on the cards for drivers in London.
TX4 and Vito taxi owners have been waiting patiently for a Euro 6 retrofit kit to become available in London, after seeing the retrofit approved in other major UK cities including Birmingham and Glasgow.
According to sources, the Mercedes Vito Euro V to Euro VI taxi emission upgrade passed the visual inspection carried out by Transport for London’s (TfL) Taxi and Private Hire office last week.
The firm behind the retrofit, HJS, are said to be urgently seeking emission test slots at the Millbrook UTAC test facility in Bedfordshire. The tests will also be witnessed by transport regulators TfL.
Once testing has been successfully completed, the system will then undergo a 10,000-mile durability test on the streets of London.
HJS and their partners Cricklewood Carriers will run the vehicle continuously in order to complete the testing in the shortest time possible.
Aside from buying a new Zero-Emission Capable (ZEC) taxi, retrofitting existing cabs to meet Euro 6 compliance standards is seen as one way of future proofing a driver’s taxi. Using a fully approved retrofit conversion could not only save money on fees, but it will also ensure that the taxi is less harmful to the environment.
The price of the conversation starts at around £6,000 plus installation/extras and VAT. Some cities implementing Clean Air Zones are still offering grants available through local government, meaning the cost of the conversion can be considerably slashed.
