Nissan’s NV200 is New York's Taxi of Tomorrow

By a majority vote of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) the Nissan NV200 Taxi of Tomorrow has been officially approved, along with regulations mandating the replacement of retiring taxicabs with the model.

This announcement is a major victory for Nissan, following the highly competitive and rigorous review and selection process the NV200 had to endure. This new standard for vehicles in New York begins in October 2013, and should significantly improve the fuel efficiency of New York's ubiquitous fleet of taxicabs.

"Nissan is appreciative of the opportunity to provide the City of New York with the next-generation of its iconic yellow taxi," said Joe Castelli, vice president, commercial vehicles and fleet, Nissan North America Inc. "We're looking forward to working side-by-side with the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission to deliver the safest and most comfortable taxi ever to be on the streets of New York. The Nissan NV200 Taxi will deliver unprecedented innovation and vehicle features to the 13,000-strong taxi fleet."

The first Nissan taxis will hit the streets in New York next year, powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine. It is designed to reduce carbon emissions and enhance fuel efficiency throughout the taxi fleet, as aging models are retired.

"The Taxi of Tomorrow is a little closer to today," said NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission Chair David Yassky. "Today's vote paves the way for a safer, more comfortable, convenient and fun ride than New Yorkers have ever known. Today's culminating vote may have been five years in the making but feels like a new beginning and leaves us even more excited and energized about the future!"

Of course, New Yorkers are a diverse group and not always easy to please, so the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission may be just the first hurdle. The people of New York are the next one.

However the brand has an extensive range of commercial vehicle experience that includes building taxis for various municipalities around the world. Furthermore, Nissan is conducting extensive road testing of the Nissan NV200 Taxi before it goes on sale, at test centers as well as the streets of New York. In addition, Nissan’s Taxi of Tomorrow is the first New York taxi to ever be crash-tested with taxi equipment, including the partition, installed.

Nissan worked with Braun Corp, a leader in automotive mobility products, to help develop, engineer and create a wheelchair-accessible taxi for New York. This collaborative mobility solution will be offered to New York taxi medallion holders when the NV200 goes on sale in 2013.

With input from New York taxi drivers, medallion holders, fleets and passengers, the Taxi of Tomorrow has been reinvented from the inside out.

Standard interior features and amenities include:
• Room for four passengers and luggage, a substantial improvement over current models
• Sliding doors with entry step and grab handles ease entry and exit
• A transparent roof panel, providing unique views of the city
• Side windows that open
• Independently controlled passenger air conditioning
• Active Carbon Lined headliner helps neutralize interior odors
• Overhead passenger reading lamps and floor lighting to illuminate belongings
• A mobile charging station for passengers, including a 12-volt electrical outlet and two USB ports
• Breathable, antimicrobial, enviro-friendly, durable and easy-to-clean seat fabric, that looks and feels like leather
• No drivetrain hump in the floor for added comfort

The Nissan NV200 comes with a 150,000 mile powertrain warranty, a less annoying horn with coordinated exterior lights resulting in the horn being used less plus six-way adjustable driver's seat with both incline and lumbar adjustments. The driver's seat is formulated with material and stitching that promotes improved airflow with a driver’s USB Auxiliary audio input and charging port.

New Yorkers will love the standard navigation system with a rearview backup camera. The vehicle even has a Hearing Loop System for the hearing impaired plus driver and passenger intercom system, though a universal translator program is probably a decade or so away. It also features pre-wiring for taxi T-PEP dispatch communication system.

Important safety features:
• Front and rear-seat occupant curtain airbags, and seat-mounted airbags for the front row
• Traction control and Vehicle Dynamic Control are standard.
• Sliding doors lessen the risk of pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists getting struck by or running into opening doors.
• Lights alerting others the taxi doors are opening

The Nissan NV200 Taxi will be fabricated at Nissan's manufacturing facility in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and is priced with all standard features at $29,700.