In addition to its five stock colours for consumers, you might soon see Teslas Model 3 in bright yellow. The all-electric sedan has been approved for use as a taxicab in New York City.According to Autoblog, the Model 3 was recently added to the list of vehicles permitted by the citys Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC).Its the first all-electric car officially approved for taxi use since the first electric carriages that drove alongside horse-drawn cabs in the 1890s. The Model 3 was one of some twenty cars added to the list.In a response to Autoblog, the TLC said it didnt know who submitted the request to approve the Tesla. The city issues Alternative Fuel Medallions, but up until now, the published rules have stated these are valid only for a vehicle that is a hybrid electric vehicle or is powered by compressed natural gas that is manufactured by an original equipment manufacturer for the general commercial or consumer market. In addition, such a vehicle has to meet the same standard as other taxis, including minimum exterior size and interior volume, luggage capacity and air conditioning. Vehicles with internal combustion engines cant make more than 295 horsepower, and the Tesla meets that restriction in all but the Model 3s high-performance versions.New York previously designated an official taxicab, which most cab owners were required to purchase. In 2011, the Nissan NV200 Taxi of Tomorrow was named the official vehicle, but it was a controversial decision since it pushed out the previous greener choice, the Ford Escape Hybrid.Some believed the loss of the lucrative New York taxi market was the reason behind Fords decision to ditch the hybrid version which had far fewer consumer sales when the Escape was redesigned for 2013.In 2018, the TLC dropped the NV200 purchase requirement and approved a list of 30 possible vehicles, such as the Toyota Camry.To qualify as a taxi, the Model 3 as with every other vehicle will have to be equipped with a roof light, medallion and decals, an interior partition and cameras to photograph passengers, and be painted yellow. It will be allowed to remain in service for a maximum of seven years.LISTEN: In this week’s episode, we talk about all the electrifying news coming out of the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show with Postmedia Driving senior writer David Booth, including Ford’s bold Mustang Mach-e SUV. And, of course, we get Booth’s take on Tesla’s Cybertruck. Plugged In is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.Is the player not working? Click
Origin: The newest New York City taxi cab is — the Tesla Model 3