Shares were suspended today (19th) when a subsidiary of Eco City Vehicles – the firm behind the Mercedes Vito black cab – is set to go into administration. The subsidiary, One80, holds the intellectual rights to the steering capability that allows the Vito’s to achieve the turning circle demanded of London Taxi rules. A “lack of production revenues”, combined with a pending court case against One80. Thus, there is a stockpile of unsold Vito’s and one person left on the executive team, according to the Evening Standard. The scapegoat once again seems to be Uber, who Eco City Vehicles accuse of decimating revenues but in fact the new electric cab by Metrocab and Nissan.

Eco City vehicles woes follow that of Manganese Cabs who famously had the Spice Girls all over them at the Olympics, shortly before they collapsed in 2012.
The availability of parts when firms collapse often comes into question with potential knock on effects for cheap taxi insurance if insurers too cannot easily source components. Often policies have the facility for the provision of a courtesy vehicle which costs the Insurance industry a lot to facilitate – they would not want a driver in a courtesy vehicle for an extended period just because parts are scarce. Cheap PCO insurance should still be easily sought.