The gospel according to Declan: how one London cabbie ‘saw the light’ and became an EV evangelist
For 30 years, Declan was a diesel man. Every day of his working life involved the same boring pilgrimage to the petrol station to fill up his London taxi.
Then he swapped his diesel engine for a hybrid electric cab, got an Octopus EV charger installed at his house and signed up for our Intelligent Octopus Go tariff.
Naturally, he then emailed our CEO, Greg, to preach the good word.
"I wouldn’t go back, you know," Declan says. "I’ve been converted. I’ve seen the light. I didn’t think I would, but I have."
Greg had to see this for himself, so he hopped in the back of Declan’s cab for a spin and a chat.
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Preaching to the non-believers
Declan is currently on a one-man mission to convert the rest of the London taxi fleet, but he’s finding that his fellow cabbies are tough nuts to crack. The savings he’s getting are so bonkers that the other drivers literally think he’s making it up.
"I find myself trying to tell taxi drivers and they don’t believe," he says. He even shared his story in a newspaper for licensed taxi drivers to try and spread the message.
"I try and tell other drivers — try and get it across to them – that you’ve got other options. But to be honest, last August, I didn’t believe it either."
His one regret? "The only bad thing about this job is that I should have done this earlier. I should have changed two years ago."
Declan’s savings
If anyone is going to put an EV battery to the ultimate test, it’s a cabbie driving the streets of London all day. Declan’s hybrid cab has a 34kWh battery, and his daily shift is usually covered entirely by electric power.
Here’s the breakdown of his financial epiphany:
The fuel savings: Declan used to spend £150 to £160 a week on diesel. Now? He spends about £30 a week topping up the petrol tank for backup. As he says excitedly, “That’s a 70% saving. Seven zero!”
Ditching the sluggish 3-pin: At first, Declan was using a standard 3-pin wall socket to trickle-charge his cab, which he says was costing him £7.80 for a full charge. By switching to a dedicated Octopus charger and using our smart overnight rates, that full charge plummeted to £2.30.
A lot of drivers fear that charging an EV at home will make their standard daytime electricity bills skyrocket. Declan is living proof that the opposite is true. By shifting his use to off-peak hours, his overall weekly electricity bill actually dropped from £55-£60 to £30.
"As I write this I struggle to believe it myself, but it's a fact," he says. "I’ve got the confidence of running my business and running the costs."
Savings for individual homes vary based on how much electricity you use for your house and EV, and how much you shift towards off-peak hours. Get a quote to compare your rates
Skipping the pumps (and the chocolate aisle)
The financial savings are one thing, but the lifestyle upgrade is what really sealed the deal for Declan.
Instead of freezing at a pump at 6 AM, his routine is blissfully simple. "I just literally unplug it at my house, put it back in the holder, jump in the cab, and go," he says. He manages it all from his phone in seconds.
Plus, bypassing the petrol station has led to an unexpected health perk.
"I don’t buy that Snickers bar because I’m not in a petrol station," he chuckles. "So I’m losing weight!"
A heavenly ride for passengers
It’s not just Declan who loves the new setup; his passengers are thrilled, too. The EV cab is incredibly comfortable and everyone loves the swanky glass roof.
When passengers slide into the back seat and ask the classic cabbie question — "How's business?" — Declan is bursting to answer.
"Well, it's better than talking about the weather," he jokes. "I say to them, 'Business is all right. My costs have gone down!'"
Ready to see the light? Get a quote for an EV today
Driving a hybrid EV using only electricity on the clock, Declan says he spends 70% less on fuel for his taxi. We ran the numbers and it was even slightly more than that, with diesel going from ~£155 per week down to £30. His nightly full EV charge costs ~£2.30 through his Octopus Charge & Intelligent Octopus Go tariff. That's an average weekly saving of ~73% on driving costs.
On switching over to a smart tariff, Declan says: "I was using a trickle charge 3pin socket which cost me around £7:80 a full charge, however, by changing over to the Octopus EV charger incorporating the night EV tariff [Intelligent Octopus Go] that has come down to around £2:30 a full charge."
These figures are based on one customer’s experience. Your actual savings will depend on your EV's battery size, regional energy rates and when you charge. Get an estimate on our website to compare your rates and check if Intelligent Octopus Go will work for you.
Published on 23rd April 2026 by:
Nicki Slater-Arnold
Writer