# Bersey Electric Cab

The Bersey Electric Cab (also known as the London Electrical Cab) was an early electric-powered vehicle and the first electric hackney carriage (black cab) in London. Developed by Walter Bersey, the vehicles had a top speed of up to 12 mph (19 km/h) and could carry two passengers. An initial service of 12 cabs began on 19 August 1897 and a total of 77 were built, with a maximum of 75 in service at once.
Bersey cabs were initially popular and were nicknamed "hummingbirds" for the sound they made and their distinctive livery. The vehicles suffered badly from wear in service owing to their heavy weight. This damaged the batteries and tyres, which were expensive to replace, and made their operation unprofitable. The cabs were withdrawn in August 1899 and electric hackney carriages did not return to the streets of London until the Nissan Dynamo was introduced in October 2019.

## Design

The Bersey cab was designed by Walter Bersey, an electrical engineer who had earlier constructed an electric-powered bus and van, as well as private cars. The cab was driven by a Johnson-Lundell electric motor, described variously as 3.5 or 8 horsepower or 2.2 kilowatts. Power was supplied by a bank of 40 grid-plate traction batteries with a total capacity of 170 ampere hours (assuming a 30 ampere demand). The batteries weighed 14 hundredweight (1,568 pounds, 711 kg) and, being delicate, were hung underneath the chassis on springs. Before going into service, the batteries were tested on Bersey's "shaking machine" to ensure they would stand up to the rigours of use.
Speed was controlled by means of a lever that provided three options: 3 or 7 or 9 mph (5 or 11 or 14 km/h). Braking was activated by a foot pedal that disconnected the electrical drive circuit. The cab as a whole weighed 2 long tons (2.0 t) and could carry two passengers. The range on a full charge was approximately 30–35 miles (48–56 km), barely sufficient for a day's work.
The first cabs were constructed by the Great Horseless Carriage Company, with bodies made by the coachbuilder Mulliner and designed to resemble a traditional horse-drawn coupé cab. Internal and external electric lighting was provided. The vehicle's four wheels were clad with solid rubber tyres that were intended to provide grip on London's greasy pavements. Around 50 cabs of an improved design were built by the Gloucester Railway Waggon Company. These had larger batteries that produced a higher top speed of 12 mph (19 km/h). An improved suspension system was also used, with the passenger cab being mounted on separate springs to the accumulator.
A total of 77 cabs of both types were constructed. Bersey said the advantages of his invention were that "there is no smell, no noise, no heat, no vibration, no possible danger, and it has been found that vehicles built on this company's system do not frighten passing horses".

## In service

The Bersey cab was first exhibited at an 1896 motor show in South Kensington, London. An example was entered in the 14 November 1896 London to Brighton emancipation race, a celebration of the passing of the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896, which relaxed regulations and speed limits for road vehicles. The range of the Bersey cab was insufficient to complete the entire 56-mile (90 km) route and it was transported part of the way by train.
The London Electrical Cab Company ran 12 Bersey cabs as hackney carriages in central London, starting on 19 August 1897, after an inauguration which was presided over by electrical engineer William Henry Preece. They were the first self-propelled taxis in the city. As part of their licensing conditions, the Metropolitan Police had stipulated that they should meet four requirements: that they would be driven only by professional drivers, and that they should be able to stop on demand, turn around in a small radius, and be able to climb Savoy Hill, the steepest in the city.
The same fares were charged as for horse-drawn cabs, and the Berseys were initially quite popular – even the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) travelled in one. They quickly became known as "hummingbirds" for the noise made by their motors and their distinctive black and yellow livery. Passengers reported that the interior fittings were luxurious when compared to horse-drawn cabs, but there were some complaints that the bright internal lighting made passengers too conspicuous to those outside the cab.
The fleet peaked at around 75 cabs, all of which needed to return to the single depot at Lambeth to switch batteries. This was achieved by means of hydraulic lifts that could complete the operation in 2–3 minutes per cab. The London Electrical Cab Company planned to introduce additional battery charging and exchange depots to expand its coverage and range, and increase the number of cabs to 320 within a year. Owing to the expense of electricity that was available from distibutors of the period, the company invested in its own electricity generators. Drivers were self-employed and hired the cabs from the company, initially at a rate of 6 shillings a day.

## Accidents

Just 22 days after the service began one of the drivers, George Smith, crashed his cab into a building on New Bond Street. He was taken to Vine Street Police Station where a police surgeon certified that he was drunk. Smith, who said he had consumed 2-3 glasses of beer, became the first person ever to be charged with drunk driving and was fined 20 shillings at Marlborough Street Police Court.
Another incident saw a driver lose control and crash at Hyde Park Gate, causing extensive damage to property. A tendency for street urchins to hitch rides on the back of the cab saw the first fatality in September 1897: Stephen Hackney's coat became entangled in the driving chain of a cab and he was fatally crushed.

## Fate

The tyres of the cabs suffered because of the heavy weight of the vehicle. After six months of operation they tended to be badly worn and produced increased vibration, which affected the delicate glass plates in the batteries. Worn tyres also increased the noise emitted by the vehicle. The accumulators also tended to slide around when the vehicle was moving and knock into the floor of the passenger cab.
The operation became plagued by breakdowns and the cabs were frequently slower than the horse-drawn alternative. The high cost of replacement batteries and tyres made the vehicles unprofitable, and the London Electrical Cab Company reported losses of £6,200 (equivalent to £842,487 in 2023) in its first year. The high accident rate and an increase in the cost of hire to 12 shillings 2+1⁄4 pence a day (equivalent to the rate to hire a horse-drawn cab) led to a decrease in the number of cabs on the streets. Some of the cabs were instead leased to private customers, including Prince Henri of Orléans, and at least one was exported to France.
The cabs were withdrawn from service and the company closed in August 1899. There was no party willing to take on the business as a going concern so the company's assets, including the cabs, were sold off separately. A small number were purchased by private proprietors and continued in service until June 1900. Liat Clark, writing in Wired UK, considered that the downfall of the company was the result of a campaign by horse-drawn cab drivers and bad press caused by breakdowns and accidents. Fully electric hackney carriages did not return to London's streets until the introduction of the Nissan Dynamo in October 2019. A Bersey cab survives in the collection of London's Science Museum.