All tomorrows taxis: New York fleet will be all hybrid by 2012

It's not like there has been a lack of news about New York's hybrid taxis recently (see links below), but I think we're going to be seeing a lot more of it now: Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced today that all of city's yellow taxi will be switching over to hybrid models within five years. The AP notes that Bloomberg is most concerned with the environmental aspect of the move. "There's an awful lot of taxicabs on the streets of New York City," Bloomberg told the AP. "These cars just sit there in traffic sometimes, belching fumes. This does a lot less. It's a lot better for all of us."

The hybrids should do well in the city. Hundreds of them have been tested over hundreds of thousands of miles over the past year and a half. There are 400 hybrid taxis operating now, and Bloomberg plans for 1,000 by next year and all 13,000 vehicles in the fleet will be hybrids by 2012. CNN says that the city has approved the following hybrids for yellow cab use: Toyota Highlander, Lexus RX 400H, Ford Escape, Saturn VUE Green Line, Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Honda Civic. City spokespeople said using a hybrid should save taxi operators $10,000 a year per vehicle, compared to driving a standard vehicle.

I wonder if there will a tussle with GM over the "Live green, go Yellow" slogan...

Related:

• Hybrid Technologies lithium-battery-powered taxi cruising NYC
• Cleantech Launches Hybrid Taxi Initiative
• The "Greenest City in America" can win a free fleet of hybrid taxis
• Ford Escape hybrid taxis top 175,000 miles
• Yellow cabs turning green at New York Auto Show
• Bloomberg to announce $8 congestion fee for cars entering NYC

[Source: CNN, Yahoo!; h/t to Patrick]