New York City’s yellow cabs are going green.
Six electric taxicabs will hit the streets today as part of a yearlong pilot program by Mayor Bloomberg to promote more environmentally efficient vehicles shuttling commuters through the city’s busy streets.
To celebrate Earth Day, the yellow and gray Nissan Leaf taxicab will be on display to the public at Rockefeller Plaza as the city also awaits the Taxi of Tomorrow — a complete redesign of the modern-day cab scheduled to roll out in the fall.
“Even though the Taxi of Tomorrow won’t be on the road for another six months, we’re already looking ahead to the taxi of the day after tomorrow,” said Mayor Bloomberg, referring to the electric cars.
The six environmentally conscious cabs will demonstrate how to reduce CO2 emissions on the clogged city streets.
Bloomberg plans to have at least one-third of all the city’s cabs go electric by the year 2020.
“Electric cars take advantage of our clean electric grid and emit at least 70 percent less CO2 than an average car,” said Sergej Mahnovski, from the mayor’s office.
The cars are also expected to reduce upkeep costs, as they don’t use engine belts or need oil changes.
Although the six cabs are only a tiny part of the city’s massive, 13,000-strong fleet, the program will help cabbies prepare for how to maintain the vehicles and charge them.
The most efficient way is by using a fast charger, which zaps a 0-to-80-percent charge into the car in just 30 minutes.
But with charging stations scattered in a few garages around Manhattan, drivers will most likely have to charge them at home — a process that takes hours.
“These all-electric Leaf taxicabs will help us determine the best way to seamlessly integrate electric vehicles into the taxi industry’s 24/7 business,” said Taxi & Limousine Commissioner David Yassky.
Drivers of the electric cabs — which can do up to 90 mph — have volunteered for the program and have the right to turn down trips to certain locations, in order to conserve battery life.