The Peugeot single-seater taxi: success of the 1920s

The Peugeot single-seater taxi: success of the 1920s

In the early 1920s in Paris, there were a lot of taxis. Indeed, no less than 13,000 taxis circulated in the French capital (in comparison, there were 9,000 taxis in London, the second city in Europe for the number of taxis at the time). The prices were high and there were ultimately few users.

In 1923, the Compagnie des Autos-Taxis Monoplace ordered 200 units of the Type 172 quadrilette from Peugeot to make taxis whose particularity was to offer only one convertible seat for the passenger (“taxi monoposto”).

Thanks to this and to the 667 cm3 engine of the Type 172, prices are reduced by 30% compared to contracted taxis. It’s a real success!
Thanks also to a rigorous selection of drivers, in service from 7 am to 10 pm, Peugeot small taxis allow sufficient profits because they consume less fuel, wear fewer tires and have lower maintenance costs.

The adventure of the single-seater taxis ended in the early 1930s, on the one hand because the new taxi cars made it possible to accommodate two passengers and, on the other hand, because the profits accumulated with the single-seaters enabled the Compagnie des Autos-Taxis Monoplace to launch into the contracted taxi service.