New Yorkers, here’s your “Taxi of Tomorrow.” After two years of deliberation, Nissan’s NV200 was chosen because the city’s exclusive taxi yesterday, edging out models from Ford Motor Co. and Turkish manufacturer Kasan. The four-passenger van is slated to hit New York’s streets in late 2013, and then it is going to be gradually phased in on a more widespread basis. With a manufacturer suggested retail price of around $29,000, the commodious NV200 boasts a 2.0L 4-cylinder powertrain, transparent roof panel, driver navigation system , overhead reading lights and a mobile charging unit, replete with a 12V outlet and two USB ports. Nissan also placed an emphasis on passenger and pedestrian safety, with front and rear-seat curtain airbags, standard traction control and an external lighting system designed to alert others when the NV200′s doors are opening. The van’s microbial seat fabric can help you assuage the fears of many germophobes, while its “low-annoyance” horn promises to place a (probably miniscule) dent inside the city’s noise pollution. Mayor Bloomberg definitely won’t realize his all-hybrid dreams by 2012, but Nissan has agreed to take part in a forthcoming EV pilot program, involving as much as six of the company’s electric LEAFs. Until then, New Yorkers may have a variety of time to get used to the city’s new soccer mom strategy to taxi transport. Cruise past the break for full PR and video.
NISSAN NV200 SELECTED AS BIG APPLE CITY’S “TAXI OF TOMORROW”- Nissan chosen as exclusive provider of NYC taxi fleet –
MANHATTAN (May 3, 2011) /PRNewswire/ – Big apple is “hailing” a brand new era of urban mobility today, because the city with the nation’s largest taxi fleet has selected Nissan to design and provide the subsequent-generation “Taxi of Tomorrow.” The announcements were made today during a City Hall press briefing that included Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Nissan Americas Chairman Carlos Tavares.
The recent York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) selected the Nissan NV200 because the exclusive taxi of recent York City beginning in late 2013. The award comes after a rigorous selection process that lasted over two years. The contest built upon greater than a century of taxi industry heritage to drive the design and creation of a purpose-built vehicle, tuned to the city’s streets. The opposite two finalists included Ford Motor Co. and Karsan, a Turkish vehicle manufacturer.
“Nissan is proud to produce a better generation of taxis for town of latest York,” said Tavares. “The NV200 taxi will give Nissan the chance to showcase our dedication to vehicle quality and concrete mobility to greater than 600,000 passengers daily.”
The Nissan NV200 taxi should be produced in North America at Nissan’s facility in Cuernavaca, Mexico. The Nissan NV200 taxi would be a modified version of the compact commercial vehicle currently available in global markets including Japan, Europe and China. Total manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of the vehicle, with all planned standard features, should be around $29,000.
As a part of this system, Nissan will also work with the town and taxi owners on a pilot program to review using zero-emission, electric vehicles as taxis. Nissan will provide as much as six 100-percent electric Nissan LEAFs to taxi owners for testing in 2012 in addition to the charging stations to support their use.
“The city’s Taxi of Tomorrow is the Nissan NV 200 – and it will be the safest, most comfortable and most convenient cab the town has ever had,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “We started this process to leverage our taxi industry’s purchasing power to get the best quality taxi, person who that could expand and redefine the legendary image of recent York City taxicabs. The brand new taxis should be custom-designed to satisfy the explicit demands of carrying 600,000 passengers an afternoon in Ny city traffic and the vehicle meets the pinnacle priorities identified by the general public in our on-line survey.”
Planned innovations, which reply to direct input from drivers, owners and passengers, include:
* 2.0L 4-cylinder powertrain, engineered to boost the emission performance and fuel efficiency of the taxi fleet;
* Ample room for four passengers and their luggage, substantially improved over current taxi models;
* A low-annoyance horn with exterior lights that indicate when the vehicle is honking, helping reduce noise pollution;
* Sliding doors with entry step and grab handles, providing easy entry and exit;
* Transparent roof panel (with shade) in order to provide unique views of town;
* Independently controlled rear air-con with a grape phenol-coated air filter to enhance cabin air quality;
* Attractive, breathable, antimicrobial, environmentally friendly and straightforward-to-clean seat fabric that simulates the feel and look of leather;
* Overhead reading lights for passengers and floor lighting to assist locate belongings;
* A mobile charging station for passengers that features a 12V electrical outlet and two USB plugs;
* A six-way adjustable driver’s seat that includes both recline and lumbar adjustments, regardless of a partition installed;
* Standard driver’s navigation and telematics systems.Nissan also concerned with passenger safety when designing the NV200 taxi. Key security measures include:
* Front and rear-seat occupant curtain airbags, in addition to seat-mounted airbags for front row;
* Standard traction control and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC);
* Sliding doors to cut back the danger of pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists getting struck by doors opening unexpectedly;
* Lights that alert other road users that taxi doors are opening.With greater than 13,000 taxis traveling a cumulative 500 million miles per year, durability was a key consider the “Taxi of Tomorrow” selection process. Nissan will train taxi fleet operators to conduct routine in-house service and repairs, and Nissan Commercial Vehicle dealers will provide prompt service by providing the 1st available service bay to taxi operators needing service.
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