The first of many NYC yellow taxis to come, powered by Tesla. Photo: Drive Sally
Just when we thought the future of the taxi industry might have been getting foggier with brands like Lyft and Uber, the universe gave us this.
A new all-electric yellow taxi is now in operation in New York City, and the Tesla Model 3 has already completed over 100 trips in its first full weekend of service, as reported by Business Insider. The electric vehicle (EV) is owned by Drive Sally, a vehicle leasing company with over 1,000 cars in its repertoire, which the company licenses out, largely as taxis in New York and Chicago.
Tesla Taxi is looking 🔥 (via https://t.co/2EbtPPA9No) pic.twitter.com/oAdMxr5bTy
— Dennis Crowley 🇺🇸 (@dens) November 9, 2020
While the Model 3 is currently in somewhat of a trial phase, according to Drive Sally founder Adriel Gonzalez, the company seems optimistic about the Tesla taxis reinvigorating the yellow cab industry. Gonzalez has expressed interest in working with the city on environmental issues, and perhaps even a mandated electric-cab service as EVs continue to become more widespread.
Drive Sally currently brings the Model 3 in at night to charge, though a larger fleet may afford the opportunity for EVs to work “staggered shifts,” allowing service 24 hours a day.
As Tesla taxis become a more regular part of cities across the world, their environmental impact will make a major difference, and will hopefully set a positive precedent for other industries based largely on driving.
