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| Ford Mustang Mach-E Joins Yellow Taxis in New York |
The Ford Mustang Mach-E, the newest electric car, roams the streets of New York City and joins the city's legendary yellow taxi fleet.
Gravity, a startup specializing in electric fleets and charging infrastructure, operates the Ford Mustang Mach-E as a yellow cab with a classic cab icon.
It is the first time that Ford's new electric car has been used as a taxi. But it won't be the last.
Gravity hopes to operate a fleet of 50 electric vehicles, including the Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y.
“I think the Mustang Mach-E and Model Y are the kind of perfect cabin available today,” said Moshe Cohen, founder and CEO of Gravity.
Gravity isn't the first company to use electric cars as taxis. In 2019, the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission approved the Tesla Model 3 as the first electric vehicle to qualify as a yellow taxi.
A year later, the first Model 3 was found in the city. At the beginning of the year, Revel announced that it would bring 50 Model Y models to market as a rental fleet in Manhattan. Although the city later banned this plan.
Gravity has integrated its vehicles into the city's curated fleet of yellow taxis and takes a different route.
Earlier this year, the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission approved a pilot program for electric vehicles to allow these vehicles to be used as taxis.
To do this, however, Gravity must apply for a city-issued permit so that people can own and operate taxis. The company is certified as a taxi broker, that is, it is licensed with a rental license.
Mach-E Mustang has passed the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission's registration and inspection. However, Cohen said other features may need approval in the future.
Ford Mustang Mach-E has become a taxi
Cohen said Gravity has installed an AI camera that can track a driver's face to avoid distractions. The company also tracks vehicle speed and other driving operations to ensure safe use by drivers.
It's hard to find electric vehicle charging infrastructure in New York City. But Gravity operates its own charging station outside a parking lot in midtown Manhattan.
Cohen said the company plans to install more chargers in the future, including fast chargers that can provide speeds of up to 350 kilowatts.
Driven by cost savings and marketing opportunities, more and more taxi companies are incorporating electric vehicles into their fleets.
Car rental companies are also involved. Hertz recently ordered 100,000 Tesla cars. The demand news sent both companies' stock prices soaring, sending Tesla's valuation above $1 trillion for the first time.