After four years of planning and a grueling two-year selection procedure, both involving a wide range of stakeholders, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission has chosen the Nissan NV200 to be the exclusive taxi of the Big Apple.
“It’s going to be the safest, most comfortable and most convenient cab the city has ever had,” said NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “We started this process to leverage our taxi industry’s purchasing power to get the highest quality taxi, one that can expand and redefine the legendary image of New York City taxicabs. The new taxis will be custom-designed to meet the specific demands of carrying 600,000 passengers a day in New York City traffic and the vehicle meets the top priorities identified by the public in our on-line survey.”
To live up to those expectations, Nissan starts with its highly successful compact commercial vehicle—a close relation to the automaker’s new U.S. commercial products that is currently available internationally—and then equips it to meet the unique demands of New York’s taxi owners, drivers and passengers. Among the Nissan cab’s features will be:
- A powertrain centered around a 2.0-liter I4 engine and engineered to reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency over the city’s current taxi fleet
- Ample room for four passengers and their luggage
- A low-annoyance horn and exterior lights that flash when the horn is used, to help reduce noise pollution
- Sliding doors with entry steps and grab handles for ease in entering/exiting the vehicle
- Transparent roof panels (with shades), designed to offer great views of the surrounding city
- Independently controlled rear air conditioning with a grape phenol-coated air filter for improved air quality
- Attractive, breathable, antimicrobial, environmentally friendly and easy-to-clean seat fabric that simulates the look and feel of leather
- Overhead lights that allow passengers to read in the vehicle and floor lighting to help them locate belongings
- A mobile charging station for passengers, with a 12-volt electrical outlet and two USB ports
- 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
- 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)
- Lights that alert other road users when taxi doors are opening
Further, with a base price that is expected to start at approximately $29,000, the Nissan NV200 cabs also will offer a notably high-value proposition to the city’s taxi fleets.
“Nissan is proud to provide the next generation of taxis for the City of New York,” said Carlos Tavares, chairman, Nissan Americas. “The NV200 taxi will give Nissan the opportunity to showcase our dedication to vehicle quality and urban mobility to more than 600,000 passengers every day.”
The new Nissan cabs will begin being introduced to NYC cab fleets late in 2013 and are slated to remain the city’s official taxis for at least 10 years.
