China is electrifying London's iconic black cabs
No problem. China can do that.
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, the automotive manufacturer that rescued the London Taxi Company earlier this year by buying it for a mere £11 million ($18 million), will start churning out electrified versions at its plant in Coventry, England, the London Evening Standard reported.
Geely chairman Li Shufu announced the plans this week in Shanghai, with British Prime Minister David Cameron conveniently by his side for a photo opportunity. Cameron is whistlestopping on a trade mission through China, where his accomplishments have included a deal to allow U.K. farmers to export pig semen.
Geely also hopes to cater to a Chinese fondness for things British when it puts hundreds of its made-in-England London-style black cabs on the streets of Shenzhen in a few weeks.
Li and his Hangzhou-based company are making a mark on the Western auto trade. Geely bought struggling Volvo from Ford in 2010 for $1.8 billon. Earlier this year it acquired the London Taxi Company and its British owner Manganese Bronze Holdings out of administration; LTC is the operating division of Manganese, which had made the cab since 1948.
London's licensed black cab community is getting accustomed to change. Nissan is currently trialling a diesel model with improved mileage, and a Mercedes-Benz edition appeared within the last year - both have more of a van-like appearance rather than the classic 1940s look.
During London's 2012 Olympics, a hydrogen-powered black cab roamed the streets.
London's black cabs are known for, among other things, roominess and the ability to turn in a very small circle - a legacy of a tiny roundabout in front of the city's Savoy Hotel.
Photo is from 10 Downing Street via Flickr
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This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com