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All newly-licensed private hire vehicles in London are now required to be zero-emission capable.
The new measure from Transport for London (TfL) took effect on 1 January.
To meet the new standard, newly-licensed vehicles must either emit no more than 50g/km of CO2 and be capable of driving without exhaust emissions for a minimum range of 10 miles, or emit no more than 75g/km of CO2 and be capable of zero emission driving for 20 miles.
If an internal combustion engine is part of the powertrain, as with hybrid vehicles, this must also meet the Euro 6 emission standard.
This follows on from a previous requirement, introduced at the start of 2020, for all vehicles less than 18 months old and licensed for the first time to be zero-emission capable.
TfL said this meant that 25% of London private hire vehicles were already zero-emission capable, with the same applying to more than 40% of London black cabs.
TfL said the requirement had first been announced seven years ago, in order to ensure that the industry was able to plan for the change. TfL said it had since worked with the trade to ensure it was prepared for the implementation date.
It said the measure was part of Mayor Sadiq Khan's targeting of London being a net zero-carbon city by 2030.
TfL also pointed out that private hire vehicles which were fully zero-emission would be eligible for the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, meaning they won't have to pay the London Congestion Charge until January 2026.
TfL director of licensing and regulation Helen Chapman said: "The taxi and private hire trade has embraced electric vehicles in recent years, with thousands already being used to pick up passengers from all corners of the capital. Toxic air in London is a public health emergency and this new requirement will act as a catalyst in significantly further reducing toxic emissions and carbon dioxide, which is a major contributor to global warming.
"Drivers will benefit from London's extensive charging network when needing somewhere to plug in, with more than 11,000 points across the city and close to 1,000 of those allowing a top up in 30 minutes or less. The switch to electric will also mean cheaper fuel costs when compared with petrol or diesel.
"We know that with the boom in electric vehicles, many more charging sites will be needed. London is on track to meet these projections, which we are supporting by making public land available and ensuring the fast charging points a world city needs are being built at pace and in significant numbers."
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