NEW YORK CITY – Nissan Americas said in a news release that New York City’s Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) approved the Nissan Altima for use in the city’s taxi cab fleet. TLC officials extended the approval to include the non-HEV version of the Altima.

The TLC selected Nissan as the exclusive provider of the city’s “Taxi of Tomorrow,” specifically the Nissan NV200, starting in 2013.

“We’re excited about the expanded opportunity for New York taxi drivers and passengers to experience the Nissan Altima,” said Joe Castelli, Nissan’s vice president, Fleet & Commercial Vehicles. “We’re proud that Nissan was selected to provide New York City’s Taxi of Tomorrow and we’re focused now on delivering the safest, most comfortable and most convenient taxi ever to travel the City’s streets. While our work on that program is underway, we’re pleased that Nissan can increase its presence in today’s New York taxi fleet.”

Nissan added that as part of New York City’s Taxi of Tomorrow program, the automaker will work with the city and taxi owners on a pilot program to study the use of electric vehicles as taxis. The automaker said that in 2012 it plans to give six Nissan LEAF models to taxi owners along with charging stations.

In other recent news, Ford announced that the New York City TLC approved the Transit Connect Taxi and Taurus for use in the city's taxi fleet.