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.
