Nissan unveiled its plans to launch Nissan NV200 Taxi, New York City’s exclusive ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’ in 2013. The new eco-friendly car was presented at Nissan ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’ Design Expo. The exhibit will be open to the public on November 1—5 and features an interactive display that allows New Yorkers to fully experience new and unique taxi features.
Photo: Nissan NYC Taxi, from taxioftomorrow.com
The NV200 Taxi design is a result of co-work of hundreds of taxi owners and drivers, and thousands of their passengers, who shared their ideas with Nissan designers and engineers.
It is also a product within the ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’ program, including the Design Trust for Public Space and the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.
The new taxi will feature a spacious cargo area to accommodate luggage for four passengers, a transparent roof panel, sliding doors with entry step and grab handles for easy entry and exit, USB charging access for passengers, passenger controlled rear-seat heat/air conditioning with a grape phenol-coated air filter to improve cabin air quality, and no-hump floor.
Enhanced interior materials and breathable, anti-microbial, easy-to-clean and environmentally friendly seat upholstery will make the taxi interior more passenger-friendly.
«Over the past century, New York City’s taxis have become known around the world for iconic exterior styling,» said Joe Castelli, vice president, Nissan Fleet & Commercial Vehicles. «Now, with the NV200 Taxi, Nissan is bringing iconic design inside the taxi, while improving the comfort and safety of passengers and drivers. We’re committed to sustaining the New York City taxi’s heritage while meeting the modern needs of 600,000 passengers every day, and we’re looking forward to hearing New Yorkers’ feedback after they sit in this display property and fully experience the vehicle’s many first-of-a-kind features and amenities.”
In addition, a pilot program involving six Nissan Leaf zero emissions vehicles will be used to test the feasibility of the Taxi of Tomorrow project. The Leaf taxis will appear on NYC streets in spring 2012. All the news and events relating to Taxi of Tomorrow are to be followed on Twitter or at taxioftomorrow.com.
