Tires with mileage-based pricing for London taxis

With this formula, Enso aims to make its tires more accessible.

The British manufacturer Enso is trying the concept of tire leasing. The system will be launched with a fleet of about one hundred LEVC taxis. The models in question are the famous black cabs known worldwide. They are powered by an electric motor but retain an internal combustion engine, which generates electricity to maintain the charge level of the battery.

The plan devised by Enso works like a traditional subscription. Instead of paying a fixed amount upfront, the driver pays a kind of rent calculated based on the distance traveled. On average, they will need to pay about 1 penny per mile. The use of tires and their wear level are monitored in real time by telematic boxes provided by the company Zeti, which has already worked with taxi companies that use distance-based pricing systems.

Tires for Electric Vehicles

The tires used by LEVC taxis have been specifically designed for electric vehicles. In addition to improving vehicle efficiency, they would better support the weight and lead to a reduction in particle emissions. They are, however, more expensive, but with its subscription system, Enso might have found a way to bypass the price issue.

Generally more responsive, electric cars are also heavier due to their batteries. They tend to wear out their tires more quickly. According to some studies, the harmful particles emitted by rubber abrasion have a significant environmental impact. To address this problem and meet other challenges posed by electric vehicles, several manufacturers are developing new tire ranges. This is notably the case Michelin and Goodyear.

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