The first known electric taxi made its debut in London in the 1880s. Electric taxis were designed and built by Walter C. Bersey. These taxis were electrically powered and served passengers on the main streets and markets of London.

The first electric taxis appeared on the streets of New York in 1899, in the (early) days of electromobility. Even then, this innovative step was a dream to make the city’s noisy and polluted traffic greener. The silent drive and sustainable operation of electric taxis were particularly appealing!

Since then, more and more cities are realising that they need to switch to electric cars for taxis as well. In Austria, for example, it has been decided that only electric cars can be newly registered as taxis from 2025.

The history of electric vehicles has been a long and exciting journey, but these first small steps remind us that innovation is a sure way to a sustainable future.