The New York City Hall has recently announced its ambitious plan of converting 13,000 taxi gasoline cabs into hybrids by 2012. Already close to 400 hybrid taxis are circulating in the streets and by October 2008 additional 1,000 are expected to replace part of the fleet. According to Michael Bloomberg, the City Mayor, this programme will help reduce in 50% the carbon dioxide emissions by taxis in New York in the coming decade, roughly the equivalent to the emissions of 30,000 individually-owned gas-powered vehicles in New York. See more details here.

This can really be the kind of incentives automobile industry needs for mass production of hybrids, cars that are powered by gasoline and electricity. In fact, why not implement the programe in other cities in the world, particularly those plagued by heavy traffic, strong air pollution and less efficient public transportation alternatives? Macau would benefit much in doing so. Well, for now hybrids are comparatively much more expensive, but advantages in the long term are worth to consider: reduction of urban air pollution and less pressure on the greenhouse effect problem, as well as lower fuels costs.