Tesla News: Model 3 Becomes First Electric Car Approved For New York City Taxis

The movement to integrate Tesla models and electric vehicles in general into taxi cab fleets recently passed a historic milestone. According to the approved list of vehicles from the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission, the Tesla Model 3 has quietly become the first electric vehicle approved for use as a taxi in the city.

Electric cars — Teslas in particular — are becoming increasingly accepted as taxi cabs in American cities. The latest news comes after Madison, Wisconsin, added 20 Tesla Model 3 cars to its all-electric fleet of taxis, in conjunction with a company known as Zerology. Madison launched an all-hybrid fleet of cabs roughly 10 years ago.

While electric vehicles are just beginning to gain acceptance in American cities, some overseas markets have been embracing green technology for some time. In Amsterdam and Indonesia, generous tax incentives for the use of electric vehicles have led to the widespread adoption of Tesla models as taxi cabs.

Success in this endeavor is not guaranteed, however. In Montreal, the start-up Téo attempted to launch a transportation company with a fleet of Teslas, only to lay off its roughly 460 drivers in January.