A host of New York City officials, including Taxi & Limousine Commissioner, David Yassky, were among the first to preview the interior design planned for the Nissan NV200 Taxi, New York City’s exclusive Taxi of Tomorrow, at the Nissan Taxi of Tomorrow Design Expo, which was officially opened on 31 October and is open to the public until 5 November.
The expo features an interactive display that allows New Yorkers to fully experience new and unique taxi features “developed for – and with – New Yorkers”.
The Taxi of Tomorrow project began in 2007 as an initiative to establish the vision for a next-generation New York City taxicab. Following a rigorous evaluation process, Nissan’s NV200 Taxi was selected in May 2011 as New York City’s exclusive Taxi of Tomorrow beginning in late 2013. Following that announcement, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution and the Design Trust for Public Space have engaged with Nissan and the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission in the vehicle’s design and development.
According to its developers, the NV200 Taxi design “reflects the input of hundreds of taxi owners and drivers, and thousands of passengers from all walks of life, who shared their ideas and priorities with Nissan designers and engineers”.
“Over the past century, New York City’s taxis have become known around the world for iconic exterior styling,” said Joe Castelli, Vice President, Nissan Fleet & Commercial Vehicles. “Now, with the NV200 Taxi, Nissan is bringing iconic design inside the taxi, while improving the comfort and safety of passengers and drivers. We’re committed to sustaining the New York City taxi’s heritage while meeting the modern needs of 600,000 passengers every day, and we’re looking forward to hearing New Yorkers’ feedback after they sit in this display property and fully experience the vehicle’s many first-of-a-kind features and amenities.”
While the Taxi of Tomorrow is not planned to be electric, Nissan explains that its 2.0L 4-cylinder engine has been engineered "to enhance the emission performance and fuel efficiency of the taxi fleet". It even has a low-annoyance horn with exterior lights that show when the vehicle is honking, helping reduce noise pollution!
Taking a Leaf out of Nissan’s book
Perhaps aware of the fact that the Taxi of Tomorrow will still be fossil-fuel powered, Nissan and New York City have also announced recently that they will be piloting six Nissan LEAF all-electric vehicles beginning in Spring 2012. These cars will be put into normal taxi service (with an existing taxicab medallion) and will enable Nissan, the City, the taxi industry and the public to learn more about how electric vehicles work as taxis.
Nissan is looking for owner-drivers and fleet operators who are interested in participating in this exciting pilot program. Each participant will receive a lease on a Nissan LEAF to use as a taxicab for up to a year free of charge and will provide valuable feedback about his or her experience. Please see the industry notice and information sheet below to learn more about this exciting opportunity and how you can apply to be one of New York City's first electric taxi operators. TLC and Nissan will hold information sessions on 9 November and applications are due by 30 November.
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