Is an electric taxi justifiable under conditions of electricity shortage?

These days, with power outages in the summer or gas shortages in the winter becoming familiar experiences, it's natural for many to ask:

"With this electricity situation, what sense does an electric taxi make? Don't we already have a power shortage ourselves?"

This question seems logical at first glance, but if we look more closely, we’ll see that electrifying the taxi fleet not only doesn’t pose a problem for the country’s electricity supply—it can actually be part of the solution.

۱. Do we have a power shortage, or is it a problem of consumption management?

Iran’s electricity supply faces shortages during certain hours of the day—especially in summer afternoons. However, from midnight to morning, the grid has a lot of unused capacity. The Ministry of Energy always recommends using high-consumption appliances at night.

This means we don’t have a round-the-clock problem—we have an hourly one..

If electric taxis are charged during off-peak hours (for example, from midnight to 6 a.m.), not only will they not put pressure on the grid, but they will also utilize otherwise unused capacity.

۲. What is the actual load of electric taxis?

Suppose 5,000 electric taxis need to be charged overnight. If each requires about 37 kilowatt-hours of electricity, the total needed is about 185 megawatt-hours. If this amount is supplied over 6 nighttime hours, the network load is only about ۳۱ مگاوات خواهد بود.

This figure is less than 0.04% of the country's peak electricity load!

۳. What benefit does it have for the people?

✅ Reduced gasoline consumption: Taxis are the largest consumers of gasoline. Electrifying them reduces gasoline imports and subsidies.

✅ Cleaner air: Electric taxis produce no emissions. In cities like Tehran and Mashhad, this alone can save lives.

✅ Lower cost: Electricity charging is much cheaper than gasoline, and electric taxis require less maintenance.

✅ Job opportunities: Developing charging stations, manufacturing equipment, and software services creates jobs.

۴. What does the world’s experience say?

Countries like India, Turkey, and China also face seasonal electricity shortages. But they haven’t stopped electrifying transportation because:

The costs they pay today for fossil fuels, air pollution, and public health are higher than the investment in electric taxis.

Conclusion

If the development of electric taxis is unplanned, yes, it can cause problems. But if:

1. Charging is done only during nighttime hours,
2. The fleet is introduced gradually and in phases,
3. Smart charging infrastructure is established,

Then electric taxis not only do not cause problems for the country’s electricity, but are a smart tool for optimal electricity use and reducing urban pollution.

So instead of saying "We don’t have electricity, no electric taxis," it’s better to ask: How do we implement electric taxis properly?