Nissan Leaf as a taxi in Europe

Cities across Europe are going through a quiet revolution as taxi companies start to shift from conventional diesel-powered cabs to zero-emission - and near silent - Nissan Leaf taxis.

The world's best-selling electric vehicle (EV) is fast becoming the taxi drivers' favourite too - attracted by lower running costs and fuelled by a desire to reduce airborne pollution in city centres.

Two years after the groundbreaking EV went on sale in Europe, Nissan Leaf taxis are now operating in Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Spain and the UK. And more are on the way!

One of the strongest advocates of the Nissan Leaf as a taxi is Amsterdam-based Taxi-E company. With a fleet of 13 Nissan Leaf's, the firms' drivers have covered over 700,000km - that's further than the distance of the earth to the moon.

The cars are quick charged two or three times a day using 100 percent green energy, meaning they're always ready for passengers.

One of the entrepreneurs behind Taxi-E, Ruud Zandvliet, said, "Amsterdam has some 3,000 taxis, so while our fleet is helping to reduce emissions, there is obviously room to reduce these even further."

Switzerland's largest city, Zurich, will soon have a fleet of pure electric Nissan Leaf taxis moving people around the city. Later this year, 10 Nissan Leafs will hit the road supported by a network of city-wide fast chargers as part of Zurich city's plans to make 15 percent of its taxi fleet electric by 2015. Capable of replenishing a battery to 80 percent in just 30 minutes, with many customers arriving with partially full batteries, the average stay is just 15 minutes.

The Nissan Leaf is also a hit with European taxi owner-drivers where running costs, fuel bills and maintenance down time are critical to their success. These road warriors are fast becoming EV advocates showing colleagues the benefits of making the switch from diesel to electric.

In Portugal, the first country in Europe to sell the Nissan Leaf, Lisbon-based owner-driver Jose Ferreira replaced his diesel-powered taxi with a Nissan Leaf. He has driven more than 15,000km so far, covering 80 to 100km a day, and reveals that 70 percent of his customers liked the experience so much they would actively choose to ride in an electric taxi.

Fuel and running costs are the biggest factors for taxi owner-drivers, meaning every Euro counts. Owner-driver Roberto San Jose from Valladolid, Spain, has spent just €1,800 (S$2,938) on electricity to power his Nissan Leaf for more than 77,000km. Fuel for a diesel-powered car would have cost more than €10,000 (S$16,323), saving Roberto over €8,200 (S$13,377). 

Globally, Nissan Leaf-based taxis are also helping to cut pollution on the streets of New York, Rio de Janeiro and many cities in Japan.