London considers mandating BEVs for new ride-hailing licences
Transport for London (TfL) has launched a consultation on stricter licensing rules for ride-hailing services, such as Uber. TfL is considering requiring all newly licensed vehicles to be fully electric from 2028. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles would have a transition period until July 2030.
Image: Unsplash/Michael Fousert
Under proposals that now open to public consultation, only fully battery-electric vehicles would be eligible for new private hire vehicle licences starting in 2028.
The proposed regulation would apply to vehicles dispatched via ride-hailing apps such as Bolt, Lyft and Uber, as well as traditional minicabs, but not to separately regulated taxis. Petrol, diesel, mild hybrid, full hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles would be excluded from new PHV licences. For wheelchair-accessible vehicles, the requirement would take effect from July 2030. The consultation runs until 2 December 2026.
TfL justifies the initiative by citing the need to reduce air pollution and CO₂ emissions from road traffic. According to the authority’s forecasts, nitrogen oxide emissions from the PHV fleet could decrease by nine per cent and CO₂ emissions by 35 per cent within the first ten years. Over an 18-year period, reductions of up to 97 per cent could be achieved for both types of emissions. However, these are only projections.
Over a third of the fleet now fully electric
The city’s private hire fleet has already achieved a significant level of electrification. As of September, TfL reported that 35.5 per cent of the 94,661 licensed PHVs in London were fully battery-electric vehicles. A further 35.2 per cent were plug-in hybrids. This means that over 70 per cent of the fleet was operating with at least conditional zero emissions.
In addition to electrification, TfL plans further changes to licensing rules. From March 2027, PHVs that are ten years or older will no longer be eligible to retain a valid licence. The authority also intends to shorten the renewal period for expired taxi or PHV licences from the current two years to twelve months. If this deadline is exceeded, the vehicle will be treated as a new application and must meet the licensing requirements in place at that time. Additionally, new approvals for conversion systems for alternative fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and compressed natural gas, as well as for additional exhaust aftertreatment systems, will be discontinued.
No final decision yet
“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’,” said Christina Calderato, Director of Strategy at TfL. The authority highlights the importance of ride services for door-to-door mobility, particularly in areas where the public transport network has gaps. However, the proposed rules are still just proposals. Whether and in what form they will be implemented depends on the further consultation and decision-making process.