, Columnist
Why Are Beijing's Taxi Drivers Freezing?
Clean-energy projects need planning, not just money.
Just don't drive it in the winter.
Photographer: Frederic J. Brown/AFPThis article is for subscribers only.
Beijing had the best of intentions when it started to promote all-electric taxis in 2011. Not only would the green cars reduce the city's choking pollution, but they'd highlight its commitment to becoming a center of innovation. There was just one problem: cold weather.
Electric cars lose their charge quickly when temperatures drop, reducing their range, utility and -- for taxi drivers -- profitability. Just ask the unlucky souls driving them around Beijing this winter. According to local news media, they're shutting off battery-draining heaters and driving in heavy boots that -- thanks to fares lost while charging their batteries -- they can't really afford.