NYC's taxi fleet going green by 2012
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Good for them...
NYC's taxi fleet going green by 2012
By SARA KUGLER, Associated Press Writer 1 minute ago
The city's yellow taxi fleet will go entirely hybrid within five years, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Tuesday.
"There's an awful lot of taxicabs on the streets of New York City," 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," he said of the hybrid plan.
Nearly 400 fuel-efficient hybrids have been tested in the city's taxi fleet over the past 18 months, with models including the Toyota Prius, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, the Lexus RX 400h and the Ford Escape.
Under Bloomberg's plan, that number will increase to 1,000 by October 2008, then will grow by about 20 percent each year until 2012, when every yellow cab — currently numbering 13,000 — will be a hybrid.
Hybrid vehicles run on a combination of gasoline and electricity, emitting less exhaust and achieving higher gas mileage per gallon.
The standard yellow cab vehicle, the Ford Crown Victoria, gets 14 miles per gallon. In contrast, the Ford Escape taxis get 36 miles per gallon.
In addition to making the yellow cab brigade entirely green within five years, the city will require all new vehicles entering the fleet after October 2008 to achieve a minimum of 25 miles per gallon. A year later, all new vehicles must get 30 miles per gallon and be hybrid. Bloomberg made the announcement on NBC's "Today" show.
Hybrid vehicles are typically more expensive, but the city said the increase in fuel efficiency will save taxi operators more than $10,000 per year. Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO - news) said it would donate 10 hybrid Ford Escapes for the city's effort.
Shifting the taxi fleet to hybrids is part of Bloomberg's wider sustainability plan for the city, which includes a goal of a 30 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. Part of the plan could include congestion pricing for drivers entering some of the busiest parts of Manhattan.
Turning over the taxi fleet by 2012 is not an impossible goal. The life of a New York City taxi is typically about three to five years; the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission requires all vehicles to be retired within a certain time frame.
Fernando Mateo, president of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, an advocacy trade group, applauded the city's effort to go green.
"In the short term, they're going to have to spend more money, but in the long run they will save money," he said. "We support getting more hybrids on the road."
The government does not own the city's yellow cabs, but sells licenses to individual drivers and operators, who must purchase their own vehicles that meet the specifications of the Taxi and Limousine Commission. The agency serves as the regulating and licensing authority for all vehicles per hire in the city.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070522/ap_on_re_us/green_taxis;_ylt=Al1duES27pWh.Jjg0pNWo08DW7oF
NYC's taxi fleet going green by 2012
By SARA KUGLER, Associated Press Writer 1 minute ago
The city's yellow taxi fleet will go entirely hybrid within five years, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Tuesday.
"There's an awful lot of taxicabs on the streets of New York City," 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," he said of the hybrid plan.
Nearly 400 fuel-efficient hybrids have been tested in the city's taxi fleet over the past 18 months, with models including the Toyota Prius, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, the Lexus RX 400h and the Ford Escape.
Under Bloomberg's plan, that number will increase to 1,000 by October 2008, then will grow by about 20 percent each year until 2012, when every yellow cab — currently numbering 13,000 — will be a hybrid.
Hybrid vehicles run on a combination of gasoline and electricity, emitting less exhaust and achieving higher gas mileage per gallon.
The standard yellow cab vehicle, the Ford Crown Victoria, gets 14 miles per gallon. In contrast, the Ford Escape taxis get 36 miles per gallon.
In addition to making the yellow cab brigade entirely green within five years, the city will require all new vehicles entering the fleet after October 2008 to achieve a minimum of 25 miles per gallon. A year later, all new vehicles must get 30 miles per gallon and be hybrid. Bloomberg made the announcement on NBC's "Today" show.
Hybrid vehicles are typically more expensive, but the city said the increase in fuel efficiency will save taxi operators more than $10,000 per year. Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO - news) said it would donate 10 hybrid Ford Escapes for the city's effort.
Shifting the taxi fleet to hybrids is part of Bloomberg's wider sustainability plan for the city, which includes a goal of a 30 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. Part of the plan could include congestion pricing for drivers entering some of the busiest parts of Manhattan.
Turning over the taxi fleet by 2012 is not an impossible goal. The life of a New York City taxi is typically about three to five years; the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission requires all vehicles to be retired within a certain time frame.
Fernando Mateo, president of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, an advocacy trade group, applauded the city's effort to go green.
"In the short term, they're going to have to spend more money, but in the long run they will save money," he said. "We support getting more hybrids on the road."
The government does not own the city's yellow cabs, but sells licenses to individual drivers and operators, who must purchase their own vehicles that meet the specifications of the Taxi and Limousine Commission. The agency serves as the regulating and licensing authority for all vehicles per hire in the city.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070522/ap_on_re_us/green_taxis;_ylt=Al1duES27pWh.Jjg0pNWo08DW7oF
My whole life
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
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Comments
Good move though, it's the perfect use for hybrid technology should eventually save the cab companies on fuel costs, though all electric might be even better in the long run.
yup ... electric combined with more efficient batteries and a renewable power source is the practical solution now ...
I'm guessing a lot of the cabs are on the road non-stop for the better part of the day... are there batteries yet that could support this workload?
Also, I'd imagine that 13,000+ cabs being plugged in would put a decent strain on our power grid, no?
I just can't believe that they have been using cars all of these years that get 14 mpg... I can't imagine the fuel expense that they have.
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
Given normal city driving and how electrics operate (shut down stop, regenerative breaking etc) yeah I think it can be done, battery technology has improved tremendously since the EV1 and I certainly think there are ways to make it doable. The USA is a nation of people looking for problems to fix. If they create the problem ie (Taxi's must meet this standard etc) someone will step up and make it happen. All sorts of technology are available to help augment the power grid, wind, solar panels etc. Yeah it's an issue as far as the grid is concerned, but not insurmountable. I'm not poo pooing the idea at all it's a good move, but if you're going to do it, why not project the next level by 2015 or so. Natural Gas/electric like they use in busses, wouldn't be a bad alternative, it would certainly reduce the amount of oil consumption anyway as will the new measure.
NYC is a benchmark city. One of the biggest and best users of mass transit at least in the US. If they want to be leading progress in this manner, why not set high and or "impossible" standards? Create the problem and people will step up and find the solution.
one of the biggest breakthroughs in battery technology recently has been the ability to charge it much more quicker - used to be that batteries needed overnight charging ... they can do the same now in less than an hour i think ...
but - transit is definitely the better way ... i took transit from LGA to the museum of natural history and it didn't take too long ...
----
If they are serious about moving ahead, hydrogen should be the target.
no one is willing to put up the money ...
I know I know,Thats why the only conclusion I can arrive at is that they really don't want change. they are not serious about it.
Working in NYC I will tell you this much, cabs are not the problem. There times when you need to get to a destination that is not feasible by subway. The problem is commuters who refuse to take public transportation into the city and would rather drive their cars in.
:cool:
a step in the right direction....and imo those of you saying it's 'not enough'...well i still say kudos to NYC cabs, b/c it is SOMEthing a first step...and the first is always a BIGGIE.....and right now, a LOT more than many others are doing...so hell yes, a responding well done!
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
oil companies dictate everything ... only when they decide to goto hydrogen will we see change ...