A taxi claimed by it's makers to be pollution free and the first of it's kind was launched in London yesterday.

The Zevco Millenium Taxi made it's first trip yesterday morning to an official launch in Westminster.The vehicle based on technology used in space travel, has been developed in Belgium by Zevco, a British company.

The taxi has an electro-chemical engine that combines hydrogen with oxygen from the air to produce water and electricity. It uses a feul cell that generates power by reversing the process of electrolysis. It stores the electricity in batteries for use by an electric motor.

Marc Morris, taxi driver of the year, and the engine of his pollution-free vehicle

The vehicle, which at £27,000 costs £2,500 more than a conventional cab, is cheaper to run. Tests have shown that it can run on £6 worth of hydrogen a day compared to £15 of diesel.

Until it is more widely available, however, Londoners are unlikely to see hydrogen stations throughout the capital.