The London classic is going electric.

London’s black cabs have long been powered by diesel, but a combination of TFL’s efforts to reduce pollution and an upgrade to London’s electric power charging sites have meant that London is now ready to have an army of electric-powered black cabs.

Transport for London is spending £18m on upgrading the charging points, with an array of points to be used exclusively for black cabs. Under new legislation, all new black cabs will have to be electric.

The contract to install the charging points is being carried out by five different companies that won the tender. Centrica, Bluepoint London, Chargemaster, Fastned and Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board.

As part of the deal black cab drivers will be able to receive a grant of up to £5,000 towards the cost of the new vehicles if their cab is more than ten years old.

The cabs are being built by the London Taxi Company in a £300m plant built by Geely, the Chinese automaker which took control of the LTC after it fell into administration in 2012.