source: bmwblog.com

As already described, taxis are the “mile-eater” in city traffic. Therefore this relative small group of users is responsible for an unproporsional amount of energy consumption and emissions. Yet, this fact also offers the opportunity to achieve an enormous effect in reducing the fuel consumption as well as the negative environmental impacts with little effort.

There are numerous approaches which can contribute to higher efficiency and thereby to the lower fuel consumption of the vehicles. For example the application of just one of the following aspects already enables a substantial effect.

• Weight reduction (less weight of 50 kg): up to 3 % less fuel consumption
• Driving with closed windows: up to 10 % less fuel consumption
• Foresightful driving style: up to 20 % less fuel consumption
• Lowering the air resistance (e.g. container for ski / roof baggage): up to 22 % less fuel consumption
• Deactivation of the air conditioner: 17 to 30 % less fuel consumption

Of course, some of these issues are less useful than others for taxi drivers. As the taxi drivers spend most of the time in the vehicle and have to keep the concentration up on the road, comfort services (such as air conditioning) are usually indispensable. Since the available space should be kept free for passengers of the taxis, unnecessary additional loads are most likely prevented by the drivers, wherefore this topic is also rather marginal.

In contrast the driving style is an important effect for taxis as well as for every single driver on the road. This has already been recognized by the taxi companies, for which reason special trainings for an improved energy efficiency driving are offered to their employees. In most of the cases the success of these actions doesn’t last very long or isn’t measurable at all. It’s hard for everyone to lay off habits. For this reason a long lasting increase of the energy efficiency of the taxis is almost impossible by such means. By an appropriate incentive for the taxi drivers however more sustainable results could be achieve.

More about this topic will be readable in the next article of this serie.

Bye,

Thomas

source: ADAC

They are still driving at night, when buses and trains are already in the depot. They are essential for night owls as well as for businessmen and tourists, wherefore they are indispensable for the german and the worldwide (innercity) mobility infrastructure.

The number of taxis operating on German roads is estimated at over 50,000, europe-wide there are even around 600,000 taxis in use. The average yearly driving distance of a taxi in Germany lies between 50,000 and 100,000 km. The variation is dependend on the operation mode, whether the taxi is used in an one-person or multi-shift operation.

The fuel consumption is directely hooked on the driving style of the user. This is on average around 8 liters per diesel fueled car per 100 kilometers. The average annual consumption lies between 4,000 and 8,000 liters of fuel per car using the number of kilometers specified above. By the specific CO2 emissions of around 212 gCO2/km, a taxi is responsible for up to 21,2 tons of CO2 per year. Of course a further increasement in the fuel consumption with an additional load, more passengers and/or a racy driving style of the driver.

Because of the high mileage and the fact that most of the drives are done within cities, there is an enormous potential for fuel and CO2 savings by relative low effort. In times of constantly rising fuel prices, a higher efficiency should furthermore be focussed by the opterators, as it will be more and more a key factor for the success!