BEAUTY OR BEAST? Ford Mustang enters New York yellow taxi market
Gravity, a pioneering electric vehicle fleet and infrastructure start-up, has launched the first in a fleet of all-electric NYC yellow taxis designed to completely reimagine the iconic New York cab.
With Gravity, riders will experience the most advanced taxi to ever hit the streets - all for the standard, predictable cab fare.
Gravity’s Ford Mustang Mach E—the first to ever serve as a NYC taxi—offers a customised passenger experience, panoramic roofs for sightseeing and industry-leading safety tech.
Gravity intends to deploy a fleet of at least 50 cabs made up of the Mach E and the Tesla Model Y. Gravity’s first Model Y is now undergoing its final hack-up and inspection.
Gravity’s fleet combines the company’s own unique innovations with the latest tech from across the industry in one vehicle. Painted a striking Rally Yellow, its cabs come equipped with dynamic passenger controls; a 22-inch display for selfies, music and video; driver-facing AI tech that identifies and prevents distracted driving; and—most importantly—zero emissions on the streets of New York City.
New Yorkers and visitors can hail one of Gravity’s EV yellow cabs on the street or through standard yellow taxi e-hail apps. The cars will be charged during overnight hours at Gravity’s own Midtown Manhattan charging space on West 42nd Street, maximising the hours vehicles are available to carry passengers.
“We’ve designed our fleet to be the smartest, safest and most sustainable taxi to ever hit the road—something any New Yorker or visitor would be excited to flag down. We want our advanced EV fleet to not only help reinvigorate the NYC yellow taxi, but help reenergize the city and pull it toward a cleaner future,” said Moshe Cohen, founder and CEO of Gravity, Inc.
The Cars
Gravity’s first vehicle is a Ford Mustang Mach E—making Gravity’s the first taxi fleet to include the Mach E. Gravity will also deploy a Tesla Model Y once final inspections are complete. All vehicles have panoramic roofs to take in the surrounding city. The vehicles are authorized for use as taxis under an EV pilot program adopted by NYC’s Taxi and Limousine Commission earlier this year.
Rear-Seat Passenger Experience Display
All Gravity taxis have a custom, mounted 22-inch tablet with software enabling riders to adjust climate controls, play music, watch videos, snap and send a selfie with filters, and more. Gravity’s systems are designed for riders to make the most of their trip.
Charging
Gravity’s charging hubs at Manhattan Plaza on West 42nd Street and other future sites will allow the company to rapidly charge vehicles during overnight, off-peak hours. Gravity’s charging equipment is designed to exceed the best-in-class experience of Tesla’s superchargers, with compatibility for a wide range of models to charge in minutes.
Driver Safety
Not only is Gravity deploying some of the safest vehicles on the market, every Gravity taxi is equipped with industry-leading driver-facing AI technology that helps prevent driver distraction as well as monitor the vehicle for safe driving behaviors. The suite of technologies will make drivers, passengers and everyone on the street safer. All Gravity drivers are licensed and approved by the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Accessibility
Gravity adheres to all TLC rules regarding accessibility and medallion issuance. While there are currently no wheelchair accessible EV models for taxi use on the market, Gravity will become an early adopter as the technology develops and is eager to put zero-emission wheelchair accessible vehicles on the road.
Pricing
All Gravity taxis are priced at standard NYC yellow taxi rates, predictable pricing with no surge or premium rates.
