New York City yellow taxis are going green on Oct 1. But many drivers are wondering if they’ll be able to buy a green car in time to meet the deadline, USA Today reports.
The city has mandated NYC fleet operators to use vehicles that can get 25 miles per gallon or more in city driving, and for now, only hybrids can do that. But inventories of hybrids across America have dried up due to soaring gas prices.
In response to the problem, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced earlier this week that Nissan, General Motors and Ford will churn out 300 hybrids a month. With Nissan providing 200; Ford and GM each providing 50.
Toyota doesn’t yet support a fleet program, so taxi operators will have to wait in line like other customers for a Toyota hybrid.