All New York Cabbies to Be Hybrids by 2012

Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, recently unrolled a plan that will effectively require all New York taxis to be hybrids by 2012. All non-hybrid vehicles will essentially be pulled off the road, replacing the entire fleet of 13,000 yellow people-movers with cabs that boast both a conventional gas engine and an electric motor. This move will surely have a huge environmental impact, but it's interesting that other options -- like fuel cells and biodiesels -- were not considered.


Currently, NYC is home to about 400 hybrids. Some models in yellow that you'll see roaming the streets of Manhattan include the Ford Escape Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Lexus LX400h, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, and even a Saturn Vue Green Line. Along with this proposal, the fuel economy requirements are also going up to 25mpg in 2008 and 30mpg in 2009.

Associated Press estimates that each hybrid taxi will save about $10,000 per year in fuel costs by switching to hybrids.


Written by Josh White
Published in Automobiles