Hybrid Taxis save in San Fran

Your next taxi ride through the Golden Gate might not get you to your destination any faster, but at least you'll be helping the environment:

With the introduction of the 15 Escapes -- 10 belong to the Yellow Cab Cooperative, the other five to Luxor Cab Co. -- San Francisco, which has 1, 381 taxis, became the first city in the United States to create a fleet of hybrid SUV cabs.

...The interest comes about this way: A Ford Crown Victoria sedan, the car of choice for most police and taxi fleets, has a perpetually thirsty 4.6-liter V-8 engine that, in Gochberg's experience around town, delivers about 12 to 14 miles per gallon, despite its government fuel economy rating of 18 to 25 mpg.

Gochberg's Escape, using a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor, has given him between 30 and 33 miles per gallon in the three weeks he's been driving the two-wheel-drive vehicle. U.S. government ratings say the Escape gets between 31 and 36 miles per gallon.

Of course, those saving will not get passed on to the customer!