The Brussels taxis sector unveiled two brand new taxi models on Thursday: an electric car designed to accommodate people with reduced mobility and a hydrogen taxi.
The former was developed with an access ramp for wheelchairs by Mostefa Beggar, managing director of MBT Adaptation, the official transformer of Tripod Mobility.
“You can easily put a wheelchair in by lowering the front seats and the customer will feel safe with the straps and a guardrail that he can stand on,” Baggar told La Dernière Heure.
The second car is a hydrogen-run Toyota Mirai from the French taxi company, Hype. In Paris, Hype runs a regular taxi service in partnership with hydrogen provider, Air Liquide.
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“When we fill the vehicle, we fill up with hydrogen as we would refuel and then the vehicle has a range equivalent to a normal vehicle of the order of 600 kilometres,” Mathieu Gardies, founder of Hype, told La Dernière Heure. “We are in discussion with the regional authorities so that this model can be put into service in the Brussels Region and the feedback we have received so far is positive.”
Beggar hopes that these models can be generalised in the Brussels Region. “We hope that similar vehicles will see the light of day, but for that to happen, public authorities need to install charging stations,” he added.
There are currently only two hydrogen filling stations open in Belgium, as previously reported. Air Liquide in Zaventem and Colruyt in Halle.
Sheila Uria
The Brussels Times
