Novelis will supply its premium aluminum for the new London Electric Taxi. London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) has developed an all-new zero-emissions capable taxi, the TX, with an aluminum frame. The use of lightweight aluminum sheet was incorporated into the design of the TX to help reduce weight and boost the driving range with Novelis AdvanzTM 5F- s5754 RC for the upper body and AdvanzTM 6F – e170 for the motor hood.
LEVC aims to produce thousands of vehicles a year in order to tackle the air quality crisis in cities around the world. The latest construction techniques have been used to build a taxi that is lighter, more fuel efficient, and better to drive – while still meeting the rigorous demands and life expectancy of a purpose-built taxi. The TX will run for approximately 70 miles (110 kilometers) on a full battery charge before switching to a petrol engine for an additional 300 miles (480 kilometers).
As electric vehicle growth is projected to increase in the next decade, automakers will adopt aluminum to lightweight vehicles and improve performance. Novelis is a partner of choice for automakers throughout their development journey to collaborate with OEMs on how to adopt aluminum and offer solutions that achieve dramatic weight loss, while increasing fuel efficiency, reducing emissions and providing equal or better quality, strength and durability compared to other materials.
“Many automakers and particularly those like LEVC that sell urban vehicles are allocating more time and resources to electrification and lightweighting as a way to increase the performance of the vehicle and reduce CO2 emissions,” said Michael Hahne, vice president, automotive, Novelis Europe. LEVC wants to create cities that are cleaner and greener for everyone and by incorporating more infinitely recyclable and lightweight aluminum into the design of their vehicles, Novelis is helping LEVC achieve that mission.”
By incorporating aluminum into this design, LEVC joins a number of automakers moving toward electrification and increasing consumers demand more in-vehicle content, lightweighting solutions will enable automakers to increase electric vehicle range while still allowing OEMs to add technology components that enhance the driver and passenger experience. Aluminum supply for the TX will be sourced from the Novelis’ plant in Nachterstedt, Germany.
Published in the May 2018 Edition