New York's New Taxi

New Taxi in New York

The selection process began as early as 2007. The quest was to find a new taxi that would be able to do the job in New York City for the next ten years.

The winner is the Nissan NV200. It's not available for public consumption, but is expected to be dodging potholes in the Big Apple as early as late 2013.

The following is from a Nissan Press Release:

Planned innovations, which respond to direct input from drivers, owners and passengers, include:
•2.0L 4-cylinder powertrain, engineered to enhance the emission performance and fuel efficiency of the taxi fleet;
•Ample room for four passengers and their luggage, substantially improved over current taxi models;
•A low-annoyance horn with exterior lights that indicate when the vehicle is honking, helping reduce noise pollution;
•Sliding doors with entry step and grab handles, providing easy entry and exit;
•Transparent roof panel (with shade) that will provide unique views of the city;
•Independently controlled rear air conditioning with a grape phenol-coated air filter to improve cabin air quality;
•Attractive, breathable, antimicrobial, environmentally friendly and easy-to-clean seat fabric that simulates the look and feel of leather;
•Overhead reading lights for passengers and floor lighting to help locate belongings;
•A mobile charging station for passengers that includes a 12V electrical outlet and two USB plugs;
•A six-way adjustable driver’s seat that features both recline and lumbar adjustments, even with a partition installed;
•Standard driver’s navigation and telematics systems.
Nissan also focused on passenger safety when designing the NV200 taxi. Key safety features include:
•Front and rear-seat occupant curtain airbags, as well as seat-mounted airbags for the front row;
•Standard traction control and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC);
•Sliding doors to reduce the risk of pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists getting struck by doors opening unexpectedly;
•Lights that alert other road users that taxi doors are opening.
With more than 13,000 taxis traveling a cumulative 500 million miles per year, durability was a key factor in the “Taxi of Tomorrow” selection process.

Projected cost is around $29,000. (Real cost is always higher.)

So here we have the largest city in the United States using 13,000 new taxi cabs built by a Japanese company with majority French ownership, manufactured in Mexico and paid for with American dollars.