Metrocab was a British brand of

taxicab A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choi ...

s, started by

Metro Cammell Weymann Metro Cammell Weymann Ltd. (MCW) was once a major contributor in transportation manufacturing in the UK and Europe. It was established in 1932 by Metro-Cammell's bus bodybuilding division and Weymann Motor Bodies to produce bus bodies. ...

in 1987 and from 2001 owned by Kamkorp. Ecotive Ltd. filed on 29 November 2021 for voluntary liquidation.

First generation (MCW Metrocab; 1987–2006)

The MCW Metrocab existed in two main variants, the original with a direct-injection diesel engine from the Ford Transit and, from 2000, the Metrocab TTT powered by a

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

turbodiesel.

introduced the MCW Metrocab in 1987. In 1989 MCW’s owner, Laird plc, divested itself of the Metrocab. The rights passed to

Reliant Reliant Motor Company was a British car manufacturer based in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. It was founded in 1935 and ended car production in 2002, the company had been known as "Reliant Motor Company" (or RMC for short) until the 1990s ...

and production was moved to Tamworth. When Reliant collapsed in 1991, the receiver sold rights to Hooper, which kept the vehicle in production until December 2000, when Hooper itself suspended trading. Current owner Kamkorp purchased rights from Hooper’s administrator

Leonard Curtis Leonard Curtis is one of the largest independent firms in the UK specialising in corporate recovery, insolvency and business restructuring. It is a national practice with more than 250 staff based at offices in Manchester, Bury, Liverpool, Presto ...

in June 2001 and restarted production under a new holding company Metrocab (UK). The vehicle remained in production until April 2006 (apart from a 14-month suspension which ended April 2005).

Second generation (Ecotive Metrocab; 2014–2021)

In 2014 a completely new Metrocab was presented to the press, electrically powered with a 1.0-litre range-extender petrol engine. It is the first authorised electric-powered London

black cab A hackney or hackney carriage (also called a cab, black cab, hack or London taxi) is a carriage or car for hire. A hackney of a more expensive or high class was called a remise. A symbol of London and Britain, the black taxi is a common s ...

.Hilton Holloway
London's Electric Cab Goes Live
'' Autocar'' 11 February 2015 It is a hybrid petrol-electric vehicle capable of zero emission operation and designed to comply with London Taxi Private Hire (LTPH) regulations.

Notes

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External links

Metrocab site
Taxis of the United Kingdom