FACT SHEET
DECEMBER 2018
NOX and particulate emissions from
London’s taxis
The Real Urban Emissions initiative
Average distance-specific diesel NOx emissions (g/km)
(TRUE) deployed remote-sensing
equipment to measure “real-world”
emissions from vehicles from more than
100,000 vehicles at several sites around
Greater London from November 2017
through February 2018.
The data collected in this TRUE project,
combined with data from previous
remote-sensing studies, yield in total
7,169 samples from London’s iconic
black taxis, many of which are powered
by diesel engines. This data provides
a clearer and more detailed picture of
real-world emissions from London diesel
black taxis than has been available
before now.
London has taken several steps to reduce
pollutant emissions from black taxis:
• No new diesel taxis licensed in
London since January 1, 2018.
• Subsidies to scrap older taxis and to
help purchase new Zero Emissions
Capable (ZEC) models, mainly plug-
in hybrids.
• Installation of vehicle charging
locations across the city for
(nonexclusive) use by ZEC taxis.
• Establishment of an Ultra Low
Emission Zone (ULEZ) beginning
April 2019. While black taxis are
exempt from the surcharge on pre-
Euro 6 diesel cars within the zone,
taxis are subject to a 15-year age limit.
While black taxis are in general subject
to the same emissions standards as
3.0
2.5
95% confidence interval
2.0
1.5
_
1.0
_ _
0.5
0.0
n = 119 n = 66 n = 2,984
Euro 2 Euro 3
Distance-specific NOx emissions from diesel-fueled London taxis compared with other London diesel
passenger cars by Euro standard. The number of measurements is presented at the bottom of each bar.
Whiskers represent the 95% confidence interval of the mean.
diesel passenger cars, prior to the
Euro 6 regulation they benefited from
an exemption that allowed certain
diesel vehicles to be classified as
commercial vehicles (category N1 Class
3). Therefore, Euro 5 black taxis are
subject to a more lenient emissions limit
of 280 mg/km, instead of the 180 mg/
km required of Euro 5 diesel passenger
cars (category M1). This exemption was
eliminated under Euro 6.
KEY FINDINGS
• NOx emissions from London taxis
consistently exceeded diesel
passenger car emissions, even after
accounting for the more lenient
Euro 5 standard. Taxis emitted
London Taxi
London diesel cars
Type-approval limit
_ _
_ _ _
n = 1,524 n = 3,738 n = 6,750 n = 328 n = 12,799
Euro 4 Euro 5
Emission standard
up to 7 times their Euro standard
certification limits, while other
diesel passenger cars emitted 4
times their limits.
• Euro 5 taxis were the highest
emitters: at least 50% more NOx per
kilometer than Euro 3 and 4 taxis, on
average. The average per kilometer
NOx emission rate for Euro 5 taxis is
approximately 3 times the rate for
Euro 5 diesel cars in London.
• A comparison of the 2017–2018
remote sensing test results with
similar data collected in 2012–2013
shows no improvement, on average,
in the NOx emissions performance of
the London diesel taxi fleet over the
past 5 years.
• The remote-sensing results for Laboratory cycles
London taxis are in line with C Central London cycle I Inner London cycle O Outer London cycle
laboratory testing results obtained

Average distance-specific NOx emissions (g/km)

C Laboratory results (individual cycles)
by Transport for London.1 For 3

Euro 4 and Euro 5 vehicles, for

which both remote-sensing and Laboratory results 95% confidence interval
(combined cycle)
laboratory data are available, the I
Remote sensing
results
data sources correlate reasonably 2
well. The average of the remote-
sensing results from Euro 4
O
vehicles is 52% higher than the
C
laboratory combined-cycle result.
C
1 I

For Euro 5, the remote-sensing I

O

results are 7% lower than the O

combined-cycle result. Certified NEDC

n = 119 n = 2984 n=6 n = 3738 n=6 n = 328 n=2 values
• Particulate matter (PM) emissions
n = NA n = NA
0
from black taxis were similar to Euro 2 Euro 3 Euro 4 Euro 5 Euro 6
Emission standard
those from diesel passenger cars
for vehicles certified to Euro 4 and Distance-specific NOx emissions from diesel-fueled London taxis by Euro standard measured in
5 standards. The PM emissions the laboratory and by remote sensing.

performance of Euro 5 taxis,

Nitrogen oxides Particulate matter
which are equipped with diesel
particulate filters, is improved
Grams emitted per kilogram fuel burned

30
relative to Euro 4 taxis.
1.5

20
1.0

10
0.5

66 119 2k 3k 7k 4k 13k 328 66 2k 7k 234 13k 136

0 0.0
Euro 2 Euro 3 Euro 4 Euro 5 Euro 2 Euro 3 Euro 4 Euro 5
Euro standard
London diesel cars London Taxi
1 Transport for London commissioned laboratory
tests of Euro 4, 5, and 6 black taxis over a Fuel-specific NOx and PM emissions from diesel-fueled London taxis compared with other London
customized London cycle made of three sections
designed to represent driving conditions in inner, diesel passenger cars by Euro standard. The number of measurements is presented at the bottom
central, and outer London. of each bar. Whiskers represent the 95% confidence interval of the mean.

TO FIND OUT MORE DOWNLOAD THE PAPER

For details on the London remote-sensing project “Remote sensing of motor vehicle emissions in London”
and related questions, contact Rachel Muncrief, rachel@theicct.org. www.theicct.org/publications/true-london-dec2018
For more information on TRUE, visit www.trueinitiative.org.

TRUE—The Real Urban Emissions Initiative FIA Foundation, 60 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DS, United Kingdom
For more information contact: true@fiafoundation.org | @TRUE_Emissions | www.trueinitiative.org