Sutton VIP Class LEVC is £120k luxury electric taxi

Sutton Bespoke, the aftermarket division of premium car dealer Clive Sutton, is hoping to attract high-end private hire operators with a luxury take on the LEVC TX.

Called the Sutton VIP Class LEVC, the model is based on the Coventry-built range-extender electric taxi that has been plying city streets since 2017. However, its functional cabin has been completely overhauled.

The hard-wearing plastic trim has been replaced with an extensive use of Sandalwood leather and Alcantara throughout. Rubber floormats have been junked in favour of thick-pile carpet, while hand-crafted wood veneers adorn the doors.

The rear seats have also been redesigned with a focus on comfort, while multi-colour adjustable ambient lighting features. 

A number of other tech upgrades are included. The stereo has been upgraded, a TV tuner with Apple TV has been installed and there's even the option of a fitted Sony PlayStation 4 games console. Rearmost passengers also receive a new centre armrest hiding a fridge mounted behind the seats.

A retractable screen separates the driver and passenger compartment for increased privacy, while soft-close doors can be specced. 

Externally, the VIP Class LEVC is less differentiated from the regular TX. However, a black-and-silver paint scheme aims to subtly mark it out, while the illuminated taxi sign on the roof instead reads VIP. 

All this doesn't come cheap, however: Sutton quotes a price of £120,000 for private buyers, or about £100,000 excluding VAT for business customers - twice the outright base price of the standard taxi. First examples will be completed later this year.

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