''One variable I'm having trouble with finding is how long taxi's last , time and kilometres, and what is their residual value?''
just as an exercise on EV's in general? or Oz specific?
There are really big differences in different countries and times have changed as well.
When I had cabs, we used to more often than not buy ex police cars. Run them for about 500,000 km - sometimes over 750,000km
the latter a bit long in the tooth by then, but my last one went way over 750,000 and was still chugging.
But they are pretty tatty by that stage.
Where I am now, taxis have always been different to Australia. Traditionally, France taxis have been luxury rides, as opposed to Oz where they are just basic transport. So, I wouldn't expect that you'd see many French cabs go 750k - I'm guessing that. But, they sure wouldn't look luxurious after that many km with bums on seats.
Residual value in Oz cars used to be very low - bugger all. Don't know about now.
It's also of course changed now with Uber and the like.
But, when I was in Asia, I looked pretty closely at the personal hire transport there - they look like work vehicles, they look like they do a lot of miles.
Work vehicles always have a look about them as far as I'm concerned - trucks, cabs, tuk tuks, even military fighting planes - they have a 'work hard' look about them.
