Switched on Taxis Loan

Support provided by Energy Savings Trust

What does this involve?

Interest-free loans of up to £150,000 are available to help owners and operators of hackney cabs (purpose-built taxis) or private hire taxis to replace their current vehicle with an eligible ultra-low emission vehicle. Limited companies are eligible for up to £150,000 of loan support, and sole traders or partnerships are eligible for up to £75,000 of loan support.

Hackney (purpose-built taxi) drivers only

The funded vehicle must be eligible for the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)'s plug-in grant. See full details of eligible vehicles, external link which will open in a new window on the UK Government site (under ‘Taxis’).

Private hire drivers only

The maximum amount of loan support available to purchase one electric car is £30,000, or £35,000 for one electric van. The vehicle must cost £50,000 or less.

The loans are available from Energy Saving Trust, funded by Transport Scotland (an agency of the Scottish Government).

Am I eligible?

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Hackney (purpose-built taxi) drivers only

The vehicle must be eligible for the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)’s plug-in grant. See full details of eligible vehicles, external link which will open in a new window on the UK government site (under ‘Taxis’).

You must have owned your current vehicle for at least 6 months before applying to replace it.

Private hire taxi drivers only

The vehicle purchased with the loan must cost less than £50,000.

What does this cost?

There are no application fees. 

Who is this for?

Owners and operators of hackney cabs or private hire taxis looking to replace their current vehicle with an ultra-low emission vehicle.

How long does this take?

Energy Saving Trust aims to process complete applications within 10 working days. A decision cannot be guaranteed before this, and if information is missing it will take longer to process. The claim process will take a further 10 working days, then allow another 3 to 5 working days for payment for successful applications.

Next steps

Before applying for a loan, visit the Energy Saving Trust website to complete an online form. A sustainable transport coordinator will then be in touch.

Support provided by Energy Savings Trust

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