Within five years the entire fleet of New York's Yellow Cabs will be hybrid, so announced Mayor Michael Bloomberg today.
"There's an awful lot of taxicabs on the streets of New York City obviously, so it makes a real big difference," Bloomberg said. "These cars just sit there in traffic sometimes, belching fumes; this does a lot less. It's a lot better for all of us."
The city taxi fleet has successfully tested over the past 18 months the Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h and the Ford Escape...
There is no word yet as to which auto brand(s) will get the contract.
This is just one more piece of evidence that hybrids are indeed the real deal. If this type of vehicle can stand up to the rigors of taxi duty, that's pretty much the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval in my eyes.
Full story here at wnbc.com.
This is just one more piece of evidence that hybrids are indeed the real deal. If this type of vehicle can stand up to the rigors of taxi duty, that's pretty much the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval in my eyes.
Full story here at wnbc.com.
flicmod says:
08:02 AM, 05/22/07
Finally news of a deal that puts to use hybrid systems in the environment that they should be used in: the city! I'm all for this. Good decision by Bloomberg. It's a lot better than the schmucks I see every day that only drive their Prii on the highway..
mirth says:
08:36 AM, 05/22/07
Hybrids make a lot of sense for taxi fleets.
billt9 says:
10:14 AM, 05/22/07
I want to ride in the Lexus RX400h taxi!
Regular cab fare, right?
Think there will be a mandate that the vehicles be built in the USA, since it's such a large order?
The Toyota hybrids are all coming from Japan.
At most, the RX hybrid would be built in Canada.
comp386 says:
12:18 PM, 05/22/07
It doesn't matter who makes them. The batteries are all made by Japanese companies that's where the profits are (possibly all of the mining companies as well). Ford loses an arm and a leg of every hybrid that it sells.
ateixeira says:
12:49 PM, 05/22/07
Cool to see hybrids in use in their ideal environment. I bet they idle half the time, if not more.
dderosa says:
01:46 PM, 05/22/07
What about the thousands of livery cabs that pollute NYC? They are the worst offenders.
refinedrogue says:
04:08 PM, 05/22/07
This is the ideal environment for these sorts of car, especially the SUV ones. And Lexus still might get it, if they create stripped out versions like the MB cabs in Europe.
Sign-up for free at:
http://www.refinedrogue.com
billt9 says:
10:54 PM, 05/22/07
Too bad American companies are so behind in science and technology to make American batteries.
All the researchers are Asian or Indian.
We need to encourage our kids to take an interest in engineering.
That means learning math, and doing things precisely.
Ok maybe that's too un-American.
americantruck says:
04:56 AM, 05/23/07
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the modern-day taxi in New York City, the all-new Kia Rondo crossover is among the vehicles to be reinvented into an iconic yellow cab, as part of Taxi ‘07, a project of the Design Trust for Public Space.
All-New KIA Rondo - The Next New York City Taxi Cab is here with "EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS" & "INTERIOR MODIFICATIONS" PICS at here :-
http://blogs.americantruckbuyer.com/all-new-kia-rondo-the-next-new-york-city-taxi-cab/
Regards
Puneet M