the NYC nissan ‘NV200’ is the ‘taxi of tomorrow’ image © AP, courtesy NBC new york

in 2007, new york city officials initiated the ‘taxi of tomorrow‘ project to design the next new york city taxi cab and system. of the proposals submitted to the competition beginning late 2009, the winning design was selected in may 2011 as the nissan ‘NV200’, whose final specifications reflect the input of hundreds of taxi owners and drivers as well as passengers who provided ideas and feedback to nissan.

now, the first production model NV200 taxis have been unload in new york, for debut tonight in SoHo before being exhibited at the 2012 new york auto show. they will be the exclusive official city cabs from 2013 through 2023.

first nissan NV200 taxi of tomorrow arrives in NYC - 2 the ‘NV200’ is new york’s official taxi cab from 2013 to 2023, and will be the exclusive model permitted on the streets by 2018

first nissan NV200 taxi of tomorrow arrives in NYC - 3 3/4 rear view

the ‘NV200’ was designed specifically for the needs of taxis in new york city. each fits four passengers and their luggage, with a rear cargo area. sliding doors with entry step and grab handles facilitate entry and exit while simultaneously protecting cyclists and pedestrians from being hit by an unexpectedly opening door; and sliding side windows let passengers control their exposure to fresh air. the entire passenger cabin features independently controlled rear air condition, overhead reading lights, and floor lighting; the floor is itself flat for smoother entry and increased comfort while riding. a built-in mobile charging station lets users charge devices on the go via a 12-volt electrical outlet and two USB ports.

a full-length glass roof offers tourists an unobstructed view of the skyscrapers they are passing.

improving on the cleanliness of current cabs, an antimicrobial, durable seat fabric simulates the look and feel of leather, while an active carbon lined headliner helps neutralize interior odors. there are curtain airbags for both front and rear seat occupants.

first nissan NV200 taxi of tomorrow arrives in NYC - 4 a glass roof offers passengers a view of the skyline

first nissan NV200 taxi of tomorrow arrives in NYC - 5 view looking into trunk cargo area

taxi drivers can look forward to a six-way adjustable driver’s seat with both recline and lumbar adjustments. a standard navigation system is built-in, alongside a rearview backup monitor, and an intercom system for communication between driver and passenger, who are separated by a full partition.

the ‘NV200’ also features a horn system billed as ‘low-annoyance’ in which exterior lights indicate when the vehicle is honking.

first nissan NV200 taxi of tomorrow arrives in NYC - 6 interior of driver’s compartment

taxi medallion holders will be required to replace their cabs with the ‘NV200’ beginning in 2013 with a final deadline of 2018, at the cost of 27,900 USD per vehicle. new york city will also be undertaking a pilot program with the nissan leaf electric car to investigate the possibility of making the taxis electric in the future.

although no new york city officials even mention the possibility of its use as a production model, nissan itself has produced an electric ‘NV200’ prototype, presented at the detroit auto show 2012.