One-person taxis aim to reduce emissions at London airport

There have been no shortage of eco-innovations from the automotive industry, with an increasing emphasis on sustainability heralding major breakthroughs in electric and hybrid technology, as well as apps such Toyota’s glass of water. However, hoping to inject some of this green thinking into taxi cab services is UK based cab4one: a fleet of taxis designed for just one passenger and their luggage. Noticing how many conventional taxis were often carrying just a single passenger, founders Justin and Martin Ott introduced the cab4one fleet of one-passenger taxis last year to Stansted airport, just outside London. The Smart Fourtwo Passion CDIs are, say the company, the greenest conventionally powered cars on British roads, with fuel consumption up to 85mpg. At approximately half the size of a conventional taxi, the reduced fuel consumption is beneficial for both the environment and for the passenger, as the company claims to be able to offer more competitive fares due to the savings made on fuel. As well as providing a ‘bike rescue’ service — set up to encourage cycling by offering a pick up service for stranded or injured cyclists and their bikes — cab4one also have plans to expand to other major UK cities, as well as Central London. Green inspired startups can not only help save the planet, but they can also save customers money. Eco-superiority could be one of the major trends for 2011, so whatever you do, could you do it greener and better? (Related: In Seattle, real-time ride-sharing with rewards for participants — Online marketplace focuses on eco-friendly vehicles.) Spotted by: airlinetrends.com