Advanced taxi prototypes to be demoed at New York car show

The humble yellow cab hasn't changed a whole lot over the years, but now that new, greener methods for powering cars are starting to verge on mainstream acceptance, prototypes for reforming the city vehicles are starting to appear. At the New York International Automobile Show next month, the Taxi 07 project will be exhibiting a group of these prototypes which include Hybrid Technologies's lithium-ion battery powered taxi, a taxi based around the Kia Rondo crossover vehicle design, and "The Standard Taxi" which can accommodate wheelchairs, motorized scooters, and baby strollers. Alongside these designs will be the "World's Fastest Taxi", a hydrogen powered car that can produce 1,000 horsepower and hit 200MPH, and a "high rider" Crown Victoria cab with raised ground clearance and large wheels. All these and more will be showing at the exhibition, where our green colleagues over at Autoblog Green will be there to document all the yellow action.

[akintz @ Mar 26th 2007 8:34AM]

Can't wait for the autoshow! This sounds like a cool exhibit - especially for city dwellers... though I'm really looking forward to the new Impreza and Audi A5/S5.

[Jason @ Mar 26th 2007 8:45AM]

As if riding in a New York taxi isn't scary enough.

[Naveed @ Mar 26th 2007 9:46AM]

surprised a change in the cab industry hasnt happened yet. Youd think theyd be riding in more fuel efficient cars or something by now. The scion xb would seem like a great taxi car. Im sure its more fuel efficient than a crown vic and probably roomier with more luggage space while being a smaller car. why the crown vic? is it purely based on recognizability?

[akintz @ Mar 26th 2007 9:59AM]

Yes, the xB could likely make a nice cab. But I don't know if Scion/Toyota would let it get into that game (fleet type of sales, I guess they would be).

Though you make a very valid point. With so many taxis running around, that's a LOT of fuel and I'd think a large potential for energy savings.

[Chris @ Mar 26th 2007 11:08AM]

Why the crown vic? You have to recognize that a fleet of cabs is a huge capital investment. Along with that investment are their repair shops which are fitted with equipment to fix crown vics (or whatever specific models are in a fleet). Plus, one never knows what sort of agreement the cab companies have with Ford to purchase certain numbers of vehicles in the future.

Bottom line, a lot more variables go into swapping a fleet of cars other than gas price and fuel efficiency. And there are probably plenty more variables than I mentioned above.

One thing is for sure, each of these companies have cost accountants crunching the numbers every day.

[Jason @ Mar 26th 2007 11:15AM]

You can get Crown Vics cheap when the police are done with them.

[Whatsizface @ Mar 26th 2007 10:11AM]

Worlds Fastest Taxi
http://www.worldsfastesttaxi.com/

[John Stracke @ Mar 26th 2007 10:40AM]

I thought NYC taxis already did 200MPH.

[iBalla @ Mar 26th 2007 10:47AM]

An even more terrifying nyc cab drive? ugh...

[kadajawi @ Mar 26th 2007 1:17PM]

Hm, why shouldn't Scion let them? Over here a few years ago most taxis were Mercedes C or E class, now it's anything like VW Passat, Ford Mondeo, Skoda Oktavia, VW Transporter, Toyota something (Avensis?), ...

[James Smith @ Mar 27th 2007 11:12PM]

Hey I work over at the NY Convention Center and I might be putting up the auto show. Maybe I can snap some pics of the taxis before the public sees them? Would Engadget be interested?

[himici @ Mar 31st 2007 2:29AM]

为什么现在中文版的RSS不是全篇显示了？而且在阅读其中也没有图片，真的很不方便呃！
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