If you’ve ever visited New York City or seen a shot of it on television, you have probably noticed a sea of yellow taxis. That’s because there are more than 12,000 of these yellow vehicles on the NYC roads. And each of those 12,000 taxis is guzzling up the gas and creating a great deal of pollution throughout the city and the entire state.

That’s exactly why the Ford Motor Company wants to put some of its concept taxi vehicles on NYC streets. These smaller cars not only take up les room than the current taxis but also boast roomier interiros for carrying more passengers and baggage.

In addition to the space-saving capabilities, these yellow Ford vehicles use 30 percent less fuel because of the more efficient 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. Compared to what the current fleet expels, that means 90 percent less exhaust fumes going into the air.  And getting 19 mpg through the city is nothing to sneeze at, either.

Taxi drivers also get a bonus with these efficient vehicles. An in-dash computer gives drivers access to the latest and most accurate traffic, weather and navigation information. If there’s a traffic jam or an accident, the computer alerts drivers to the location so they can avoid it and take a different route. This works out better for everybody involved. Passengers won’t need to pay a higher rate for remaining longer in traffic, and drivers can pick up more fares during the course of a day.

That’s not even mentioning the potential for cleaner air.