Ever wonder if an electric car has what it takes to work as a taxi on the mean streets of New York City? Well, we’re about to find out. Nissan has donated six of its LEAFs to the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission for use in a one-year pilot project, in which they’ll serve as cabs in the Big Apple.
Nissan and the City of New York have already collaborated on the Taxi of Tomorrow project, which will see a modified version of the automaker’s internal combustion-engined NV200 minivan become the new NYC taxicab vehicle about six months from now. In the meantime, however, the city is interested in learning how a pure-electric car can be integrated into a fleet of conventional taxis. It’s part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan that calls for one third of New York City’s taxis to be electric by the year 2020.
All of the LEAF-using taxi drivers and fleet owners volunteered to take part in the project. They’ll be able to recharge their cars’ batteries overnight at their homes or at fleet garages, plus they’ll have access to several CHAdeMO-standard DC quick chargers which are being installed at various points around the city – these can charge a LEAF to approximately 80 percent in under 30 minutes.
The project begins later this spring. More information is available in the video below.
Source: Nissan
