New York gets ready for a Nissan invasion

The Taxi of Tomorrow, the Nissan NV200 is most likely coming to New York City on October 28th, although there are still those opposing the program. The Nissan NV200 is more of a van than a traditional sedan that is normally used as cabs in New York. The Nissan NV200 was the winner of the Taxi of Tomorrow contest and was designed from the inside out using input from New York taxi drivers, medallion holders, and passengers.

The vehicle offers interesting features such as more space for passengers, increased luggage room, and even a transparent roof so passengers can look up at the city. The NV200 will only be replacing non-hybrid cabs in the city however, and some NYC taxi driver operators aren’t happy with being told what to buy. Lawsuits to prevent implementation of the Taxi of Tomorrow have been filed, claiming the vehicle is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act because it is not wheelchair accessible, although the Nissan NV200 can be retrofitted. It is reported that a few NYC taxi fleets have planned to retire their current non-hybrid cabs early and purchase new cabs that are not Nissan NV200s, likely using the old Crown Vics for as long as possible. With these new cabs in operation before the deadline, implementation of the 3 to 5 year plan could take much longer.

NV200 Taxi for New York