It's official! Starting today, September 1st, New York City's new 'Taxi of Tomorrow', or the Nissan NV200, will be the future standard for yellow cabs across this city. 

With about 750 of the vehicles on the road at the moment, that number is expected to rise to include up to 80% of NYC yellow cabs, as owners gradually retire their existing cabs.

So far, the model is getting mixed reviews from drivers and riders alike. 

Mainly, people think it looks like a boxy minivan crossover (which is decidedly not exciting, as you can imagine).  

Some drivers have complained about the weight of the wheelchair access ramps resulting in an unfair amount of wear on the tires, though those complaints are greatly outweighed by the overwhelmingly positive reception of more ergonomic seating and increased legroom.

[anad]

But what really excites us about the Nissan NV200s are the USB charger ports and the sunroof. 

Since the introduction of smartphone charging stations around the city, it's clear most New Yorkers are into having as many places as possible to cop a charge, so they should be a great addition. 

Plus, everyone loves a sunroof. They're the skylights of automobiles. 

pickyoko #NissanNV200Taxi #nv200 #taxi 7月メモ。 スライドドア式ワゴン型タクシー「ＮＶ２００タクシー」、走行中のも見かけました。NYで2年前から投入されていたのですね、今回キックオフの130台は9割が走行状態により燃料をガソリンからＬＰＧに切り替える“バイフューエル仕様。助手席側スライドドアは電動式ステップ、荷室は乗車定員４人分のスーツケースを載せられるとのことで、ガンバリを感じます。

Imagine, instead of being cramped into a dark town car type ride, you can now spread out a bit more in this new taxi, plug in your smartphone, and gaze up at the sky if your little heart desires. 

It seems the jury's still out on the Nissan NV200. What is for sure is that they're here to stay. But can they stand up to ubiquitous fleet of Ubers across town? 

Only time, and your cabbie's very loud phone conversation, will tell. 

Wanna Hop on the Bandwagon? Share a Ride with a Stranger-- But in a NYC Yellow Cab!