Quote:
Originally Posted by Twojjs
Hopes for battery-powered taxis in New York are done for now.
New York City had a pilot program earlier this year and the electric cabs couldn't cut the duration needed for an average taxi shift and also couldn't withstand cold temperatures.
They used the lithium battery-powered PT Cruiser as cabs. The commission was testing whether the environmentally-friendly car could tough it out during the average, strenuous 10-hour New York cab shift.
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The whole article for this was interesting and appeared on EV World some time ago. They said they spent way too much time flatbedding the Cruiser due to dead batteries and suggested that perhaps Hybrid Technologies or someone providing Hybrid Technologies with critical duty cycle data did not give them the whole story and so the well-intended test for their converted, all electric CRuiser became a black eye. I was sorry to see such a failure but have faith that they will learn from this experience and make it better. The test was too much too soon really with the vehicle perhaps not yet ready for such and acid test.
IMHO, a PHEV would have been a better configuration for a taxi......having the ability to back up the electric with ICE power if needed and as it turned out, it was needed.
Good luck to Hybrid Technologies, though....they are going where no man has gone before.
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