Electric black cab maker to cut 180 jobs

A maker of electric taxis is to cut about 180 manufacturing jobs as sales fall.

London EV Company (LEVC) has cited "increasingly difficult automotive conditions" for reducing output, which affects workers at its site in Ansty, Coventry.

The firm said it needed to restructure to safeguard the future of the London black cab.

Demand for new electric hackney carriages had been affected by increasing costs and a persistent decline in the number of drivers, it said.

Changes in local taxi licensing policies, including relaxing emissions standards and vehicle age limits, were also a factor affecting sales, said LEVC.

The firm has seen a series of job cuts in recent years and in 2024 posted a pre-tax loss of £104m for the previous year.

In the latest round, staff in Ansty working on electrified TX models are expected to face compulsory redundancies, as the manufacturing side of the business is restructured.

The firm said there would be no impact on customers, service or sales support.

"We unfortunately have to make some difficult decisions in order to ready LEVC for resilient, sustainable profitability and long-term growth," said Chief Executive Alex Nan.

The TX model taxi was launched in 2018, with about 9,000 in use in London.

"Ansty will always be the home of the iconic London taxi," said Mr Nan, adding the company would very soon announce its new strategic vision.

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