Mexico City rolls out hybrid taxi to reduce emissions

MEXICO CITY, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The government of Mexico City, one of the most polluted cities in the world, unveiled on Thursday its prototype for a "hybrid taxi," which will soon take to the streets and produce 50 percent less emissions than regular cabs.

During the presentation, mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said 50 of these new models would be rolled out in April as part of the first phase.

The city government is planning to replace all conventional taxis with these environmentally friendlier options, which will also save up to 60 percent on fuel.

The government will install electric recharge stations in different neighborhoods as the program is progressively rolled out across the megacity.

Mexico City, with almost 22 million residents, has faced almost 100 environmental alerts due to high ozone levels in the past two years.

Since 2016, a new federal norm has tightened the limits for gas emissions on vehicles inside Mexico City and 18 surrounding towns. Enditem