SMRT Taxis is no more - just the name, that is.
Alongside the milestone official launch of its first fully-electric taxis, transport group SMRT announced on 30 August 2021 that it will be retiring the old name of its taxi arm. Moving forward, it will instead be known as Strides Taxi, falling under SMRT's larger subsidiary, Strides Mobility, which the transport group has said is committed to "sustainable urban mobility services". This comes shortly after it previously announced a venture into smart electric motorcycles.
The new MG5 EV cabs: Proudly wearing their green livery while displaying their parent's new name (Images from Strides Taxi's Facebook page)
Drivers of the new taxis are unlikely to suffer range anxiety because they will have access to 140 charging stations at 80 locations across the island, and can clock approximately 300km on a full charge in their MG5 EVs. Strides Taxi has also offered free rental and charging to early adopters for the first 30 days.
As the rebranded taxi arm heralds in a new era, it is also pulling out all the stops not just to establish its new name, but also to make its clean and green image crystal clear.
The stationwagon taxis fittingly sport a new green livery - reminiscent of SingPost's recent unveiling of its first electric vans and scooters - with 'Strides', all in capital letters, painted in bold red on the front doors. Strides Taxi also excitedly introduced its 'all new' Facebook page, with photos celebrating the launch comprising its first post.
The electric cabs represent a crucial first step in Strides' target of fully electrifying its fleet within the next five years - a goal it also reiterated yesterday - and are emblematic of the rapidly accelerating recognition and adoption of EVs in Singapore.
