The announcement recently made by New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg with regards to the changing of taxi policy and increasing fuel economy standards have been at the advantage of Ford—major stockholder of Mazda maker of Mazda AC compressor — since the said policy would further highlights the automaker’s leadership in the field of hybrid taxis.
The Ford Escape Hybrid together with the Mercury Mariner Hybrid are the only hybrid vehicles that have been able to meet the current New York City taxi requirements not to mention the proposed new fuel economy policy.
It can be noted that it was in the year 2005 when San Francisco became the first city to feature gas-electric hybrid-powered taxi cabs. San Francisco at that time chose Ford Escape Hybrid and later that year, New York City has also added a small fleet of Escape Hybrid taxis based on the decision approved by the New York City Council in connection wit the Clean Air Taxis Act. Then in June 2006, Ford embarked again on a nationwide tour promoting the benefits of the use of Escape Hybrids as a taxi service and since then both Chicago and Austin have introduced Escape Hybrids into their taxi fleets.
The fleet of 18 Escape Hybrid taxis in New York City has been able to accumulate hundreds of thousands of miles over the past two years and has been able to record an estimated fuel savings of $250,000. Today there are already 288 Escape Hybrids in taxi service throughout the city, and drivers are reporting that the hybrids are amazingly durable and their fuel-saving advantages are simply outstanding which makes them a great choice for taxis.
Facts on Ford Escape Hybrid
* Ford Escape Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient SUV in the world: Its EPA rating is 34 miles per gallon for city driving. The front-wheel drive Escape Hybrid is the most fuel efficient SUV presently on earth and can provide drivers with 500 miles per tank of gas.
* A savings of $30 per shift: According to Paul Gillespie, a San Francisco cab driver, driving an Escape Hybrid has helped him save up to $30 per shift. He is working four shifts a week which saves him $120 and for a year more than $6,000 on gasoline.
* Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV) Certified: The Escape Hybrid has significantly reduced smog-forming emissions as it meets the cleanest emissions standard available for a vehicle that make use of fossil fuels—particularly the California’s AT-PZEV standard. The Escape Hybrid driving over 100,000 miles can conserve approximately 1,666 gallons of gas compared to a traditional cab and at the same time preventing 32,000 pounds of carbon emissions.
* Durability and Reliability: In terms of these qualities, the Escape Hybrid has proven its strength by surviving a round-the-clock durability test in one of the most severe driving conditions that any vehicle can possibly endure. This durability of the Escape Hybrid is backed by a standard 8-year/100,000-mile limited warranty for unique hybrid components that includes the battery pack.
* Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner Hybrid were given high tax credits: The real world fuel economy of the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrids will increased for the 2008 model year and because of this the Federal income tax credits available now are $3,000 for FWD models which rose by $400 and $2,200 on 4WD models up by $250. Both Ford and Mercury Hybrids at present have the highest tax credit given to a hybrid vehicle. The tax credits given to Ford and Mercury have increased by $900 more than their closest competitor. For both vehicles the EPA-certified fuel economy for FWD models is 34 mpg for vcity and 30 mpg for highway while 29 mpg for city and 27 mpg highway for AWD models.
* Insurance discounts for Mercury Mariner Hybrids and Ford Escape Hybrids: Travelers which is one of the largest providers of personal insurance products in the US has offered hybrid drivers in the states of California, New Jersey, Texas, New York, Maryland, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, and Washington discounts of up to 10 percent ion certain coverage. The company has estimated that their hybrid policy business has grown by up to 200 percent last 2006.
