Camry joining taxi fleet here
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TAXI commuters will soon be flagging down the Toyota Camry - arguably Singapore's most popular Japanese executive saloon.
Taxi companies here are stepping up their search for alternative vehicles so they do not run afoul of the stricter Euro IV emission standard for diesel vehicles, which kicked in last week.
The Toyota Crown and Nissan Cedric, which now make up 90 per cent of cabs here, fail to meet requirements.
Smart Automobiles has decided on the Camry and has put the first one on the road. It plans to roll out at least 19 more. Their petrol engines will converted to run on compressed natural gas (CNG). It costs about $40,000, one of the least costly cabs here.
Smart general manager William Chua said the first vehicle was registered under the Economic Development Board's scheme for innovative transport technologies, which means it gets a waiver of the Additional Registration Fee and Certificate of Entitlement. The other 19 may get a similar waiver.
The other taxi firms are also looking to use new and untested models to replace the ubiquitous Toyota Crown and Nissan Cedric.
The Straits Times understands that Japanese alternatives to these two workhorses will not be available until the second half of next year.
Meanwhile, Jardine Cycle & Carriage has brought in two units of the turbodiesel Kia Magentis for taxi operators.
Its chief executive (motor operations) Cheah Kim Teck noted that there seemed to be 'quite a bit of interest in the car', and that operators wanted to test it alongside the other Korean contender, the Hyundai Sonata.
Taxi giant ComfortDelGro has been testing a pair of Sonatas since late last year, as well as a couple of Volkswagen Touran MPVs, but it has not made up its mind.
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Wah, remember the outrage when mercs were introduced as cabs? Now camry owners will be next.
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nobody wanted to buy a white merc.
now no one would wanna buy a _______ (insert colour) camry! -
Singapore is finally introducing CNG taxis. Haha. In some cities (e.g. Hong Kong), the taxis are already mostly (or even all) CNG.
CNG vehicles are cleaner and more environmentally friendly. But so many cities are reluctant to introduce CNG vehicles because they are more expensive to purchase and to operate. For me, I would rather pay a bit more for CNG transportation in return for cleaner air. (In some cities, the introduction of CNG buses/taxis is driven by the severe air pollution, such as New Delhi and Hong Kong... Maybe Singapore can consider buying more CNG vehicles during this haze... Haha) -
wow... now we'll c fewer n fewer camarys on the road... thanks 2 taxis!
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hope they bring us camry... then wun be the same like in the pic
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will those camry taxi driver be as snobbish as those merc taxi driver?
merc taxi driver very picky with their customers one. nb... -
eh... i can see why some ppl dont wanna run on CNG... CNG is kinda less powerfull.... it cant really run smoothly... and u can feel the drag on the car when you are driving it...
hw i know... my dad owns one... hahah -
OK bah. u can see all kinds of brand taxi in taiwan, fort, nissan. toyota, mit..., honda...Originally posted by sexy girls:TAXI commuters will soon be flagging down the Toyota Camry - arguably Singapore's most popular Japanese executive saloon.
Taxi companies here are stepping up their search for alternative vehicles so they do not run afoul of the stricter Euro IV emission standard for diesel vehicles, which kicked in last week.
The Toyota Crown and Nissan Cedric, which now make up 90 per cent of cabs here, fail to meet requirements.
Smart Automobiles has decided on the Camry and has put the first one on the road. It plans to roll out at least 19 more. Their petrol engines will converted to run on compressed natural gas (CNG). It costs about $40,000, one of the least costly cabs here.
Smart general manager William Chua said the first vehicle was registered under the Economic Development Board's scheme for innovative transport technologies, which means it gets a waiver of the Additional Registration Fee and Certificate of Entitlement. The other 19 may get a similar waiver.
The other taxi firms are also looking to use new and untested models to replace the ubiquitous Toyota Crown and Nissan Cedric.
The Straits Times understands that Japanese alternatives to these two workhorses will not be available until the second half of next year.
Meanwhile, Jardine Cycle & Carriage has brought in two units of the turbodiesel Kia Magentis for taxi operators.
Its chief executive (motor operations) Cheah Kim Teck noted that there seemed to be 'quite a bit of interest in the car', and that operators wanted to test it alongside the other Korean contender, the Hyundai Sonata.
Taxi giant ComfortDelGro has been testing a pair of Sonatas since late last year, as well as a couple of Volkswagen Touran MPVs, but it has not made up its mind. -
Taiwan is BIG, Singapore is small.Originally posted by play_n_play:OK bah. u can see all kinds of brand taxi in taiwan, fort, nissan. toyota, mit..., honda...