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Reader Comments for
Subscribe to this threadNew York 2008: Mark Fields hails a Transit Connect Taxi Concept
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Chris @ Mar 19th 2008 11:51AM
NINETEEN MPG?
HELLO.
I don't care if its cleaner than what it replaces. I think its abysmal anyone would dare market something that will be driven so many miles and has such poor mileage figures.
This thing begs to be a hybrid.
Greek Boy @ Mar 19th 2008 12:02PM
Chris,
are you a complete idiot? "estimated" mpg for city of 19mpg is not bad at all for a roomy van. That is probably better than EVERYTHING else out there. And what do you care as long as your fare is low and you have a roomy taxi to travel in that has that cool as heck vista roof?
You sound like a hater to me.
Mattias @ Mar 19th 2008 12:10PM
You are right: Combining the old 2.0l I4 with the old automatic transmission with torque converter is the worst thing to do. Any combination of a smaller engine and a more efficiant gear box should result in better values. Unfortunately Ford does not yet offer a hybrid drive train that fits into the 1st gen Focus engine bay (these cars are closely related). With a direct injection 1.4l in combination with a hybrid drive train not only 30% better mpg (compared to the Crown Vic) but 100% would have been the result.
So the can present 30% improvement every year: now the Transit Connect without focusing on the engines, in 2009 a small turbocharged direct injection engine and in 2010 the hybrid.
Fabri91 @ Mar 19th 2008 12:17PM
19 mpg in the city. I think it's not that bad.
Randy @ Mar 19th 2008 12:50PM
Cabs / Taxis need to be efficient and easily repairable which is the same for cop cars etc. If they went hybrid on these at this point they wouldn't be able to service the hybrids! Generally speaking this is a nice blend of efficiency and effectiveness. I love the roof too! But as the past article said, it probably won't happen on the fleet models. The Taxi Ads wouldn't have anywhere to be placed!
Andy @ Mar 19th 2008 12:51PM
As I commented in the previous post. It will HAVE to be Hybrid in NY.
"In December, the TLC voted unanimously to approve regulations that will require all yellow taxis licensed after October 1, 2008, to meet fuel efficiency standards currently only achievable through the use of hybrid technology."
http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press_release&catID=1194&doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2008a%2Fpr067-08.html&cc=unused1978&rc=1194&ndi=1
Mike @ Mar 19th 2008 4:10PM
Chris,
Ever been in a city taxi? Most city cab drivers are two foot drivers. Hit the gas hard to cut into traffic, jam the brake to avoid hitting the guy in front of you. For those in the back seat, it is a roller coaster ride of pushed back into the seat on accell and flung forward when the brakes are mashed.
If this type of driving is used, hybrids quickly lose their advantage over regular gas engines. Hybrid gas engines turn on with around 25% or higher throttle input and quickly lose mpg. Heavy city traffic like NYC or Chicago are not the best use of a hybrid powertrain with their especially dense, aggressive traffic.
19 mpg under those conditions is a huge improvement over what any other taxi is getting now and there's no additional cost of the hybrid system.