A Dutch airport operator announced it is purchasing 100 Tesla’s to be used as airport taxis, making a rather expensive statement of support for environmental stability.
$63,500 list price for Tesla taxi
The investment in the Tesla Model S EV, with a list price of $63,500, was not entirely based on the return on cash investment.
“Apart from offering qualitative and quantitative quality taxi was the main requirement to provide a significant contribution to the sustainability ambitions Schiphol air quality and CO2 emissions,” Netherlands-based Schiphol Group, which operates the airports, said on its web site. “Corporate Responsibility is embedded in the management of Schiphol.”
Government owned companies look past ROI
Schiphol is a private company majority owned by government entities, with the Dutch Ministry of Finance owning 69.77%, the municipalities of Amsterdam owning 20.03% and Rotterdam 2.2% and Aéroports de Paris 8.00%, which in part explains the social conscious decision making over harsh economic number crunching.
Schiphol is 100% owner of Amsterdam Airport, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, and Lelystad Airport and it owns 51% of Eindhoven Airport and 19% of Brisbane Airport. It holds the operating franchise for John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 4, but plans for the Tesla taxis do not extend into the US.
“Schiphol takes its responsibility with regard to climate-friendly aviation, accessibility and air quality,” a statement on the company website said, explaining the expensive investment. “What this means is that Schiphol reduces CO2 emissions at the airport and actively contributes to cleaner traffic to, from and to the airport.”
The company created a competition for the taxi cab concession at the airport that included the Tesla as part of the deal. The winners are Zorgvervoer Central Netherlands BV, Willemsen -de Koning BV and Bergisch, Book & Hoff Frissen BV. Those winners will receive Tesla Model S EVs starting on June 1, with the taxis will be in service for a minimum of 4 years, with the possibility of extending contracts out to 8 years.
