San Fransicans are saying a big “hells yeah” to the Ford Escape hybrid taxis roaming the city streets. San Francisco’s first 15 hybrid taxis, all Ford Escapes, all reached the taxi retirement age of 300,000 miles and are being taken off the road. Their staying power shows that hybrid technology is more durable than expected; and according to the LA Times, these eco-friendly vehicles have saved taxi drivers approximately $9,000 a year.
Today, 14% of San Francisco’s 1,438 taxis are hybrid vehicles. Yellow Cab has ordered ten new Ford Fusion sedans, which offer better gas mileage than the Escapes. They are currently testing Nissans.
“We’re still looking for the perfect cab,” Yellow cab company manager Hal Mellegard said. “There’s new technology all the time. They may make something next year that runs on dirt and has zero emissions. That’s what I’m hoping for.”
