DUBLIN NOW has two electric taxis offering customers the opportunity go “green” within the capital, with the vehicles able to travel up to 160km on a charge of their batteries.

The two taxis, a Nissan Leaf saloon and a Peugeot Expert wheelchair-accessible vehicle, came into service yesterday.

Part of a joint pilot programme between the ESB and National Radio Cabs (NRC), the vehicles are available for general hire. The cars will be charged at night through special power points installed at the drivers’ homes.

NRC managing director Liam Brady said the average taxi in the Dublin area travels about 120km a day – a usage he says is comfortably covered by the 160km daily range of the new taxis.

According to Mr Brady the average cost of a day’s charging is between €2.50 and €3.00, which he calculates is about one-tenth the cost of petrol or diesel.

At about €30,000 net of a Government subsidy, the Nissan’s cost is about €5,000 higher than the average amount spent on a vehicle by taxi drivers, Mr Brady said.

But the extra capital investment would more than be repaid through reduced fuel costs. “The biggest cost for taxis is fuel consumption, so the electric cars make sense.”

The ESB said it would install power points free for the first 2,000 people to buy and register an electric car.

Chief executive Pádraig McManus said the ESB’s commitment to the motor manufacturers was: “You bring the vehicle and we will bring the charging points.”

The roll-out of on-street charging points is also continuing with the initial three points in the city centre now joined by one each at Newlands Cross and Glasnevin and 30 fast-charging points due to be deployed along inter-urban motorways by the end of the year.

A fast charging point will provide about three-quarters of a full charge in 30 minutes.

The ESB also expects to have completed its roll-out of 1,500 on-street charging points across Ireland by the end of the year.

The vehicles, which the ESB said were the first electric taxis in the city, can be booked on 1800-767676.