Nissan NV200 named as next New York City Taxi

Nissan to gain tremendous brand visibility

The Nissan NV200 will become New York City’s exclusive taxi for 10 years beginning late in 2013. Built in Cuernavaca, Mexico, the NV200 was selected over other finalists that included Ford Transit Connect and Karsan, a Turkish manufacturer that vowed to assemble vehicles in Brooklyn if awarded the contract. Interestingly, if the Ford had become New York’s next taxi, it still would have been a Turkish vehicle. Transit Connect is supplied by Ford Otosan, a Ford joint venture based in Turkey.

New York City sought input from taxi drivers, taxi owners and taxi passengers as far back as 2007 to develop the “Taxi of Tomorrow”. Goals included durability, low emissions, high fuel efficiency, easy access and more cargo room than current New York City cabs, among others. This selection process took two years and resulted in a request for proposals issued in 2009. Other innovations include a low-annoyance horn (we’re still trying to figure out what that means), easy-to-clean simulated leather interior, standard navigation system (likely appreciated by drivers and passengers alike) and two USB plugs to help passengers keep their devices charged on the way to the airport. One feature likely to be appreciated by nearby pedestrians and cyclists is sliding rear passenger doors. The vehicle will also have Nissan’s telematics system as standard equipment. This will be a variation of the CARWINGS system currently in use in the LEAF in the United States. In Japan, the system also provides live operator support for route assistance. It is not known if operator support will be provided to US based vehicles using the system.

This is a significant event for Nissan as it will bring 13,000 taxis serving 600,000 passengers annually to New York City, one of the world’s premier destinations. This exclusive contract will run for a period of ten years. Nissan currently supplies versions of the NV200 in Japan, Europe and China.

As part of this program, Nissan will also provide the city with up to six Nissan LEAFs to evaluate as New York City taxis in 2012. Our bet is that LEAF owners will also be clamoring for that environmentally friendly synthetic leather as an available option in their vehicle. Perhaps it is something to look forward to.