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More of Madison’s taxis will be converted to electric vehicles as a local startup focused on environmentally friendly transportation announced Thursday it has acquired a decades-old cab company.

Mobility Transformation Inc., a Madison company that acquired Green Cab early last month, bought Badger Cab, which was founded in 1946 and owned by Tom Melms since 1978.

Badger Cab will be folded into Green Cab as a lower-cost option for riders by the end of the month, Mobility Transformation founder and CEO Shree Kalluri said. The customers choosing the economy option will ride in Chevrolet Bolt electric cars instead of the Tesla Model 3 cars Green Cab currently uses.

Melms said he planned to retire at the end of May but didn’t have someone who could take over the company. He met with Kalluri just three weeks ago.

Green Cab is offering to keep on all employees and contracted drivers with Badger Cab, and Green Cab will also take over Badger Cab’s existing contracts and partnerships, Kalluri said.