In the wake of the hard fought and much publicized ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’ competition in NYC, Mayor Bloomberg finally announced that the NV200 designed by Nissan had been selected as the ultimate winner. The contest, which encouraged auto manufacturers and designers to create designs for a purpose built New York minicab, offers a unique opportunity to the winner to become the taxi of tomorrow and serve the NYC streets for the following decade. So how exactly does the new design take shape, and what does it mean for passengers in NYC?
Firstly, the Nissan NV200, which won with a staggering 76 percent of the vote, affords its customers a far more luxurious and stylish traveling experience. Drawing from the recent rise in popularity and usage in limo services in NYC, the designers of the NV200 have created a vehicle that delivers enhanced legroom and additional space for passengers or their luggage. Similarly their vehicle offers ease of access and comfort to their users, and appeal to a greater set of potential customers. Of course no modern vehicle can be created without a consideration for energy efficiency, and this model reverse the trend of taxis in recent years, where fuel prices and consumption saw fares rise steeply over shorter traveling distances.
For passengers, this development and the creation of a purpose built vehicle will enable taxi’s to become more competitive in a market that they once dominated. Mayor Bloomberg is known as a supporter of livery cabs, New York limousines and private hire vehicles as they provide a more efficient service to their customers, and his aim is to transfer this into the performance of the traditional yellow cabs. The Nissan NV200 is clearly a designed to improve the experience of travelers in NYC, and ensure that every public vehicle that couriers passengers for a fare is entirely fit for purpose.