NEW YORK — The city's yellow taxi fleet will go entirely hybrid within five years, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Tuesday.

Link to Newsvine

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.

There goes a huge chunk of Ford's CV sales... And here comes even more fleet sales for Toyota.

Yay...

There goes a huge chunk of Ford's CV sales... And here comes even more fleet sales for Toyota.

Yay...

now would be a great time for Ford to announce a hybrid Taurus....

Does Toyota even have a severe service section in their owner's manuals?

Seriously, I'd love to see these after 100,000 miles. Compacts with uncomfortable seats and no trunk space. Great choice.

NEW YORK — The city's yellow taxi fleet will go entirely hybrid within five years, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Tuesday.

Link to Newsvine

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.

It won't matter, according to the Mayan calendar, the world ends December 21, 2012!

If they got rid of cab licensing, this would probably already happen for greenies willing to pay more for it.

The bulk of the upcoming replacements, if this goes thru, would have to be camries, no? The others are either far too small or expensive (RX400H??).

Going on that assumption, here comes greater & greater fleet sales (this will not remain a NYC-thing only), greatly reduced resale, and incalculable degredation of toyota's public image.

I'm all for it.

Balthy, that assumes that the domestics end up offering no more than what's on the table today.

I could see a 300/Charger hybrid using the GM/DCX two-mode system.

I could see a Taurus hybrid <in fact I almost expect one>

I could see a Zeta Impala hybrid using the GM/DCX two-mode

May be Aura Hybrid may end up being one, or the Tahoe and the Malibu hybrid.

The Escape hybrids in NY are reputedly doing well... some have reached 175K miles now with no major problems.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ford has a Taurus hybrid out in the next few years. Either way, with the Escape Hybrids proving themselves durable and Ford having a long-time relationship with NYC cabbies, I think Ford will still keep a majority of the business. Fleet drivers, especially taxi and police, are very reluctant to switch to unproven product...they buy what they know and what will be easy to maintain.

One comment I read was how it would be best for Ford to build a CV hybrid; not only would they get to keep the tough-as-nails Panthers that are easily repaired and cheap to maintain, but it also avoids resale values dropping like a rock on whatever retail product would be introduced in large numbers to the NYC fleet.

i was actually thinking the other day that the 500/taurus chassis would accomodate a hybrid well.

and i do think the new v6 was planned on being mated to a hybrid?

fusion hybrid would make more sense to me, but give me a taurus hybrid that gets 35 mpg and i would love it.

i was actually thinking the other day that the 500/taurus chassis would accomodate a hybrid well.

and i do think the new v6 was planned on being mated to a hybrid?

fusion hybrid would make more sense to me, but give me a taurus hybrid that gets 35 mpg and i would love it.

Fusion hybrid is already coming. They bolted in the Escape's powertrain and voila. Maybe there'll be an AWD Fusion hybrid... who knows.

As of right now, none of the ones mentioned in the article make any sense. The Lexus RX 400h? Escape? Prius? Where's the Camry? That's the only hybrid out there right now that makes sense. Ford is dumb if they think they can take this with the Escape.

I don't think Ford's plans ever included replacing NYC's 13,000 yellow crown vics with 13,000 yellow escape hybrids. This is a law passed by NYC in the past week. Give Ford some time to react.

But NYC has been talking about this for years now. It's not like it came out of left field. That's why Ford gave them or just made a big deal about them getting Escape Hybrids years ago. It was all apart of Clean Air Taxis Act that they passed in 05 and talked about years before that.

Ford might as well kiss the ol' Crown Vic good-bye. All I say is good, I will be glad when it is gone. Very glad. As long as the keep getting domestics I could care less, what those people do! But good way is a good way to decrease fuel compsuption.

Edited May 23, 200718 yr by gm4life

Ford might as well kiss the ol' Crown Vic good-bye. All I say is good, I will be glad when it is gone. Very glad. As long as the keep getting domestics I could care less, what those people do! But good way is a good way to decrease fuel compsuption.

Between the hybrid taxi enforcement and the NYPD's gradual transition to Impalas, New Yorkers will see fewer and fewer Crown Victorias on the road.

I also hope Bloomberg is planning to add some of GM's hybrid busses to the bus fleet. I mean, if he's really serious about conserving gas.

Edited May 23, 200718 yr by aaaantoine

now would be a great time for Ford to announce a hybrid Taurus....

Or for GM to introduce a hybrid something that looks good in that NY-City-cab-yellow colour. Maybe they can sell hybrid Malibus as taxis...

Huzzah, I've increased awareness about hybrid buses by posting a comment at the link.

(edit: spelling/grammar. Sucks when I don't get it right the first time)

Edited May 23, 200718 yr by aaaantoine

Ironically, I was in NYC today. I did see what a bus that was labeled 'hybrid/electric' along the top, but didn't see the make.

What I did see in my limited views out the bus I was in's windows were a nearly equal number of Crown Vic taxis and toyota sienna taxis. Fascinating.

well thats a good ideia, changing those old crown victoria for hybrids, but is what you were saying above, its time for ford to put on the market a hybrid car even crown vitoria hybrid i think was cool, but another thing is, why ford crown victorias has 4.6 L engine with only 220hp?? that makes the car have huge consoptions... a volvo s60 2.5T has 220hp.. that makes the car more economic.. or an 3.2 v6 would fit perfectly..

I watched a cab burn to the ground last week or two. Talk about emissions.

Oh yeah, they should get the hybrid buses here asap. No excuse not to have those everywhere.