Treehugger reports on the the first of New Yawk's hybrid-drive taxis, which quietly rolled on to the city's rutted asphalt via a gold-paved boulevard of local cost incentives last week. The six Ford Escape hybrids, which will be joined by 12 more by Thanksgiving, were feted by environmentalists, city officials and their owners, who received a $170,000 discount off the price of each medallion ($300,000 as of last year) to offset the "hybrid premium," by oh, around 500 times. Ok ok, considering the hybrids will be called on to travel 100,000 miles a year, mainly slamming from pothole to raised roadway piling and back, owners are taking somewhat of a risk on maintenance. And let's face it, full hybrids — with their zero-emission e-motors running alone at under 25mph — are made for the city.
Hybrid Taxis Finally Arrive in New York City [Treehugger]
Related:
San Francisco Gets Hybrid SUV Taxis; OZOcar: Eco-Sensitive Limousines [internal]