Geely unveils next generation of icon

A TX5 London taxi made by Geely is displayed outside Lancaster House in central London on Oct 21 during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the UK. Adrian Dennis / AFP

Prototype of new TX5 london black cab shown at event attended by Chinese president

The London Taxi Company unveiled the new design for its next generation zero-emission-capable black cab in London on Oct 21.

A prototype of the new TX5 was displayed at "Creative Collaborations: UK & China", a creative industry event held at Lancaster House in central London. President Xi Jinping, his wife Peng Liyuan, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge all attended the TX5's unveiling at the event which showcases cultural collaboration between China and the United Kingdom.

"We are excited to unveil the TX5 prototype design for the first time. The new vehicle has a wealth of new features, which will all be tried and tested and then tested again to provide a perfect balance of timeless design driven by groundbreaking technology," Peter Johansen, CEO of The London Taxi Company, told China Daily.

The TX5 captures the spirit of past generations of the cab, such as the Fairway series, and draws on the iconic vehicle's more than 60 years of style, which has made it a distinctive presence on the streets of London.

While maintaining recognizable key features, the new zero-emission-capable TX5 has been updated to reflect the needs of today's passengers and the move toward a low-carbon economy.

In addition to a new lightweight aluminum body structure and composite paneling, the TX5 benefits from a plug-in range-extended hybrid electric drive system that ensures no distance anxiety and the reliability required by London's black cab drivers.

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd bought the iconic London Taxi Company in 2013, and the new vehicle was designed at Geely's design center in Barcelona, led by British designers Peter Horbury and David Ancona, who were supported by a 200-strong team of engineers and designers based in the UK.

"We were acutely aware of the huge responsibility that comes with introducing a new generation of design for what is already an instantly recognizable and iconic vehicle," Horbury said.

Before joining Geely in 2012, Horbury was chief designer at Ford and was responsible for overseeing the design process at marques including Volvo, Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover.

"We wanted to retain those aspects that make the London taxi what it is and what it stands for, while ensuring that the new design reflects everything that a 21st century vehicle needs to be," said Horbury.

That means the TX5 has been designed with an overriding focus on the comfort of passengers and drivers.

According to Horbury, the design team has sought to build on existing features such as the headlights, grille and strong roof lines. "But we have also made sure that the new vehicle significantly builds on the space and comfort levels for both passengers and drivers."

As well as accommodating six passenger seats and featuring improved driver legroom, the TX5 also heralds the return of the rear-hinged door to improve passenger access, Horbury said.

It has sufficient space for a forward facing wheelchair, helping to meet the travel needs of those with mobility issues.

The TX5 is also equipped with Wi-Fi Internet capability and provides charging points for drivers and passengers in line with London's reputation as a hub for tech innovation and connectivity on-the-go.

And although the TX5 looks unmistakably like a familiar London taxi, each of the 3,000 components that make up the vehicle are new.

Johansen revealed that the TX5 will be launched in the UK at the end of 2017 and across international markets in 2018.

Geely announced at the event that it is making an additional investment of 50 million pounds ($77.2 million; 68.1 euros) in its state-of-the-art greenfield production facility in Ansty, Warwickshire to turn the site into the group's UK research and development headquarters. This brings total investment in the new site to 300 million pounds.

"The new investment is aimed at developing and producing the next generation London black cab, and is expected to generate up to 1,000 new jobs," said Li Shufu, chairman of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group

"This is testament to Geely's commitment to the UK and The London Taxi Company, and demonstrates our leading position on new energy technologies, our loyal and talented workforce and our competitive edge when it comes to delivering pioneering design and technology," Li said.

Ansty is the first new vehicle production facility to be built in the UK for more than 10 years. Breaking ground on the site took place in August and the new facility will begin trial production in 2016.

The Ansty site will work on nine potential product variants, including light commercial vehicles that could be developed for the London Taxi Company and the Geely group.

At 31,000 square meters, the Ansty facility will now be 50 percent larger than originally planned to accommodate an enhanced R&D center and additional technical facilities alongside the production line to build the new TX5.

The investment is expected to create around 500 additional jobs in the supply chain, Johansen added.

Li said that he and his company are happy to play a part in furthering China-UK relations by investing in the UK and strengthening business and ties between the two nations.

zhangchunyan@chinadaily.com.cn