TfL proposes fully electric requirement for newly licensed London minicabs from 3 July 2028
TfL is consulting until 2 December 2026 on requiring newly licensed private hire vehicles to be fully electric from July 2028, with wheelchair-accessible cars given until 2030.
Transport for London has opened a consultation on requiring all private hire vehicles new to licensing in the capital to be fully electric from 3 July 2028, with wheelchair-accessible vehicles following on 1 July 2030.
In its press release, TfL says the consultation runs until 23:59 on Wednesday 2 December 2026. The rules are proposals only, and electrive notes that whether and in what form they are implemented depends on the consultation and decision-making process.
What the proposal would require
The requirement would apply to vehicles new to licensing, so it would not force existing cars off the road on electrification grounds. TfL’s wording is that “All private hire vehicles new to licensing in London, except for wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles, will need to be fully-electric vehicles from 3 July 2028”.
Electrive reports that the rule would cover vehicles dispatched through ride-hailing apps such as Bolt, Lyft and Uber, as well as traditional minicabs, but not separately regulated taxis. It also reports that petrol, diesel, mild hybrid, full hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles would be excluded from new licences.
TfL says the 2030 date for wheelchair-accessible vehicles would set “a clear direction for producers of wheelchair accessible vehicles, so they can understand TfL’s requirements in advance and produce vehicles that will meet the future licensing requirements.”
Why plug-in hybrids fall short
More than 70 per cent of private hire vehicles are already zero-emission capable, according to TfL. It argues that “zero-emission capable vehicles that are not fully electric still produce emissions from the exhaust when operating in non-electric mode.”
Figures from September, reported by London Travel News, show the gap between capable and fully electric. They are not in the TfL release.
| September fleet measure | Share of 94,661 licensed PHVs |
|---|---|
| Fully electric | 35.5% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 35.2% |
The table shows that fully electric cars and plug-in hybrids each account for roughly a third of the licensed fleet, which together make up the zero-emission capable group.
TfL also points to mileage. A PHV drives 30,500 kilometres a year on average, which it describes as “significantly higher than an average annual London car usage”.
Forecast emissions cuts
TfL’s forecasts are measured against existing licensing requirements. For the first ten years, it expects a nine per cent reduction in PHV-based NOx emissions and a 35 per cent reduction in PHV-based CO2 emissions. Over eighteen years, the forecast is that these emissions would fall by 97 per cent. Electrive stresses these are projections only.
Other licensing changes from March 2027
The consultation also proposes changes from 1 March 2027 to the wider licensing regime for taxis and private hire vehicles:
TfL would stop approving new alternative fuel conversion systems, “such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Compressed Natural Gas”, and new exhaust abatement systems.
The maximum time for re-licensing an expired taxi or PHV would fall from 24 months to 12 months, after which the vehicle would become “new to licensing”. Private hire vehicles would also not be allowed to stay licensed beyond the date they reach 10 years old.
Charging and taxis
TfL says London has the largest EV charging network in the UK, with more than 29,500 public charging devices, around a third of the UK’s provision, including more than 2,000 rapid or ultra-rapid devices. It adds that Places for London has partnered with charging operator Fastned to develop several new ultra-rapid hubs.
The consultation focuses mainly on private hire, though TfL says it “continues to consider proposals for a zero-emission requirement for London taxis in the future.”
Christina Calderato, TfL’s Director of Strategy, said: “Building on the progress that has already been made, this consultation sets out our proposals to strengthen those achievements and drive forward the transition towards a zero-emission fleet.” Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: “I encourage everyone to take part in the consultation as we continue building a greener, cleaner and more sustainable London for all.”
Further coverage of licensing and vehicle rules is collected under motoring regulation.
