Ford Transit Connect Taxi…Huh?!

When it comes to automotive beauty contests the Ford Transit Connect is nowhere to be found. The little van is plain, even somewhat ugly and not something you’d want to show off to the neighbors. But what the TC lacks in the beauty department it wins in the practicality department, thanks to its compact layout, fuel efficient nature and ease of use.

Boston Taxi

So it wasn’t much of a surprise to me when I learned today that the city of Boston has approved the TC to serve as a taxi in that city. Boston regulates which types of vehicles can be used on its streets and has endorsed the TC. That works out good for the city because the TC is 30 percent more fuel efficient than the typical taxi cab and with Ford offering engine prep packages, running the TC on compressed natural gas or liquid natural gas will be possible (see photos below).

Boston now becomes the first municipality in America to authorize the Ford Transit Connect for taxi use. Beantown has been using the Ford Crown Victoria extensively for years, but that aged full-sized model is slated to be retired next year. The taxi TC will serve most customer’s needs as its rear seat compartment features room for three with plenty of storage area behind it.

Important Upgrades

The taxi TC Ford is marketing includes some notable upgrades. Says Ford Chief Engineer Rob Stevens, “We moved the rear seat back three inches, added a grab handle for passengers to get in and out of the vehicle, and we installed a ventilation unit to heat and cool the second row. We also added vinyl seats, which taxi operators said they wanted because of their durability.”

In 2009, Ford showed off a concept taxi TC to taxi fleet owners and operators across America, soliciting feedback from them to make changes per their needs. Those refinements led to Boston approving the Ford Transit Connect a vehicle that will join the Escape Hybrid and outgoing Ford Crown Victoria in the Ford taxi fleet.

Photos courtesy Ford Motor Company

Compressed Natural Gas Camry Headed To L.A.

Toyota, who has taken a leadership role in hybrid technology, is also working on other alternate fuel vehicles including those which operate on compressed natural gas (CNG). To that end, the company has announced that a CNG Toyota Camry will be on display at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, an event that will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from November 21-30, 2008.

“With the combination of plentiful long-term supplies in North America, improved and more efficient recovery methods, favorable pricing and clean-burn/low emissions characteristics, CNG has become a prime energy-source for the future,” said Irv Miller, group vice president, TMS Corporate Communications. “With this concept, we are confirming our interest in pursuing CNG within our broad and comprehensive R&D scope.”

CNG technology is not new to Toyota as the company had previously marketed a four-cylinder CNG Camry to California fleet customers in 1999. However cheap gasoline and a widely unavailable refueling structure resulted in tepid customer demand so the program was discontinued in 2000.

Recent changes in market conditions has renewed interest in CNG paticularly as the price of oil remains high and consumers are looking for environmentally friendly alternatives to gasoline. Infrastructure is still lagging, but with the US sitting on huge supplies of natural gas, the trend toward this cleaner fuel source is expected to grow over the coming years.

“Natural gas,” adds Miller, “and an expanded retail-friendly CNG infrastructure could be seen as a model for future hydrogen infrastructure.”

Speaking about the Los Angeles Auto Show, I plan to be in L.A. for the Press Days and will report my findings on The Auto Writer as well as on this site. My coverage will include all of the newest cars, concepts, and industry trends including whatever offerings from Toyota, Lexus, and Scion are on display.

(Source: Toyota Motor Corporation, N.A.)