Washington State: Home To A 100% Plug-in Taxi FirmWashington State: Home To A 100% Plug-in Taxi Firm

You probably know that places like New York City and San Francisco are known for their high numbers of hybrid taxis, but a small taxi firm in Washington state has gone one step further, turning Nissan Leafs and Chevrolet Volts into taxis.
Enter EcoCab, a tiny company based in Cowlitz county, Washington, and its fleet of 100 percent plug-in cars. 
Founded by local businessman Ron Knori and elementary school teacher Cindy Stephenson, the green taxi firm lays claim to be one of the first of its kind in the U.S. 
With two 2012 Chevrolet Volts and two 2012 Nissan Leafs, customers can travel in and around Cowlitz County without worrying about tailpipe emissions. 
Cowlitz County’s EcoCab Service
Unlike Nissan’s publicity stunt last month in London, England, where members of the public were invited to tweet Nissan to get a free Leaf taxi ride, EcoCab is a real, working business. 
Because its Leafs are 100 percent electric and its Volts consume very little gasoline, EcoCab only charges a fee of $2.50 per pickup, and $2.25 per mile. 
It does charge extra for waiting for pickups, plus an extra fee per passenger, but it doesn’t charge you extra money for gas, or when the car is stopped in traffic. 
In fact, when the EcoCabs are stopped, so are their meters. 
Cowlitz County’s EcoCab Service
Sadly, EcoCab’s fleet only extends to the 3-passenger Volt and 4-passenger Leaf, not larger minivans or all-electric limousines. 
For residents in Cowlitz county there is an alternative for green taxi customers: EcoCars’ sister company, Cowliz Car Service, offers customers wanting larger cars the choice of an Audi A8L, or an E85-powered Cadillac Escalade.
Would you like to see more electric taxis? Would you pay more to use them over a conventional gas-guzzling cab? 
Let us know in the Comments below.
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