Prius taxis in WA

[ToyotaFreak]

Sorry if this has been posted before (Searched, but came out with zero results.).

I'd love to ride one of these to I go to the airport!

http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/taxis/15502.asp

http://altfuelsaustralia.wordpress.com/200...s-hybrid-taxis/

I wonder if the taxi operators would allow customers to choose their car of choice...

[J e r e M y]

Sweet :P

[Sport1vo]

Ethenol & Petrol produces ~2.3kg of Co2 per litre.

Diesel produces ~2.7kg of Co2 per litre.

Electricity produces ~3.0kg of Co2 per litre (thanks to our inefficient power stations!).

.....and LPG produces ~1.6kg of Co2 per litre. *Clear Winner on these fuels".

Being a Melbourne Cabby myself, is seems a bit of a publicity gimic it seems. A Hybrid with solar panels on the roof with LPG to suppliment power is the way to go !

The cost of fuel should be factored in with the cost of maintenance and repairs, hence why Fords and Holdens on LPG are so popular. Prius and the Civic Hybrid (HCH2) are expensive and too small, also what I've found is that a tow pack is NOT available with ANY Hybrids .

I've got a one year old Falcon XT on E-Gas (that is dedicated GAS) purchased from Auctions for $21k plis $2k to paint yallow and install all the taxi accesories. Now if they where to produce a Hybrid E-Gas car, I'll put my hands up for one!

[CAP]

Ethenol & Petrol produces ~2.3kg of Co2 per litre.

Diesel produces ~2.7kg of Co2 per litre.

Electricity produces ~3.0kg of Co2 per litre (thanks to our inefficient power stations!).

.....and LPG produces ~1.6kg of Co2 per litre. *Clear Winner on these fuels".

Being a Melbourne Cabby myself, is seems a bit of a publicity gimic it seems. A Hybrid with solar panels on the roof with LPG to suppliment power is the way to go !

The cost of fuel should be factored in with the cost of maintenance and repairs, hence why Fords and Holdens on LPG are so popular. Prius and the Civic Hybrid (HCH2) are expensive and too small, also what I've found is that a tow pack is NOT available with ANY Hybrids .

I've got a one year old Falcon XT on E-Gas (that is dedicated GAS) purchased from Auctions for $21k plis $2k to paint yallow and install all the taxi accesories. Now if they where to produce a Hybrid E-Gas car, I'll put my hands up for one!

That was my thoughts.

Also for short trips in congested areas where alot of starting and stopping occurs and the system has a chance to use it regenerative braking etc, Hybrids work well, but once on open road, the benefits of a Hybrid aren't really realised. So if a Taxi driver is doing hwy runs from City to Airport all day, he may as well be driving a full petrol powered car.

In the recent solar challenge held in NT, which also has a production car class, the New Hyundai i30 Diesel and the Peogeot diesels completely flogged the Prius in fuel consumption. Although diesel emits more pollutents per litre consumer, its greater efficiency means less actual pollutents are emitted in the end.

I can see them being of benefit in some place like New York, but, again space is a concern.

Ideally, I would commission a car maker to build a spacious people mover type vehicle (No bigger than say an Avensis Verso), that is bare as bones basic and light weight, cheap, and run a hybrid/lpg drive train developed specifically for the task, it doesn't have to have big performance figures because it only needs to get to no more than 100km/h

[Keisari]

Ideally, I would commission a car maker to build a spacious people mover type vehicle (No bigger than say an Avensis Verso), that is bare as bones basic and light weight, cheap, and run a hybrid/lpg drive train developed specifically for the task, it doesn't have to have big performance figures because it only needs to get to no more than 100km/h

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23034463-2,00.html

USD$2500 :)

[CAP]

Ideally, I would commission a car maker to build a spacious people mover type vehicle (No bigger than say an Avensis Verso), that is bare as bones basic and light weight, cheap, and run a hybrid/lpg drive train developed specifically for the task, it doesn't have to have big performance figures because it only needs to get to no more than 100km/h

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23034463-2,00.html

USD$2500 :)

Not big enough

[Seano]

n the recent solar challenge held in NT, which also has a production car class, the New Hyundai i30 Diesel and the Peogeot diesels completely flogged the Prius in fuel consumption. Although diesel emits more pollutents per litre consumer, its greater efficiency means less actual pollutents are emitted in the end.

As Clarkson said don't buy a Prius get a Golf Diesel

[Zoran]

yeah saw one here in Melb, for once i gave a cabbie Kudos... but does it make a difference?... as BigBum made a point to me, Cost of the car + Economy = More $ than a small car with higher economy all up.

gimme a 1988 corolla AE82, until the prius' are cheaper anyway :D

[matt_kluger]

They have Prius cabs in Darwin, Cairns and Hobart too. None in Canberra yet!

[69.NIX]

they have these everywhere but Sydney.

My uncle drive one in Add-e-laid :o

[Morgasshk]

toyota Hybrids make up more than 80% of the cabs in Townsville and Cairns and now over 55% of Brisbane cab fleets. Both Prius and Hybrid Camry - Makes business sense, lot less fuel, great room, great levels of comfort, and with LPG over 85c/l, it is no longer a competitor by any stretch, not with the standard comfort features, power and performance etc.

[CROCO]

Here in dubbo is the same, they seem to be replacing there ageing falcon taxis with hybrid camrys and prius.

I have been to other cities,and its the same thing, they have been replacing a lot of there falcons with camry hybrids and prius,s. I wonder if taxi owner operators have known of the price of gas going up. here in dubbo its costs 98.5cl.

[Braddles]

Hybrid taxis have a few big advantages over LPG and Diesel taxis:

1. The Prius can manoeuvre for up to 1 km on battery alone. That's while running the A/C and lights so maybe a bit less if the radio, dispatch system, EFTPOS terminal and other accessories are taken into account.
   
2. Regenerative braking extends the life of brake rotors since the brake pads only touch the discs when applied hard. Over 200,000km before replacement is not unusual.
   
3. Engine either runs at high load and therefore efficiently or not at all and therefore even more efficiently.
   

The Falcon, Camry (non-hybrid) and Skoda Superb have a big advantage in payload over the hybrid Camry and Prius. But as for interior space, speaking for my 195cm I can tell you that a Falcon taxi doesn't have the headroom of my Prius. Maybe it's the beaded seat cover?

In Kyoto last year I saw a taxi rank outside the Takashimiya department store exclusively for EV and PHEV taxis. I was wlaking everywhere so I didn't take one but it was great to see.