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1,159 Toyota bZ4X electric SUVs were licensed as NYC for-hire vehicles (FHVs) on October 12, 2026. It is the only battery-electric Toyota among the 60 most common TLC models and the third most common EV in the fleet, behind the Tesla Model Y and Fisker Ocean.
Almost all of them are from two model years, 2023 and 2024. Only 11 are 2025 models and none are 2026, so new bZ4Xs have mostly stopped joining the fleet even as Toyota's gas and hybrid models keep arriving.
How we counted
TLC's FHV list and taxi list don't include make or model. We identified each car's model from its VIN, using NHTSA's vPIC decoder. Every bZ4X decodes as battery electric. The lists change daily, so treat these as a snapshot.
Model years: 2023 and 2024
Many 2023 EVs entered the fleet around the same time. According to TLC Industry Notice 23-09, TLC accepted new EV-only FHV license applications from anyone from October 19, 2023 until a court order stopped intake on November 13, 2023. The bZ4X differs from the Model Y and Fisker Ocean in one way: its 2024 group (520) is almost as big as its 2023 group (628). Our data can't show which license each car is on, so some of these may have come from drivers switching an existing license from a gas car.
The fall-off after 2024 is clear: 11 cars for 2025 and none for 2026. By contrast, the Tesla Model Y has 403 model-year 2026 cars.
Switching to a bZ4X on your existing plates
New EV-only licenses are closed. TLC's February 2026 FHV License Review found that more FHV licenses "would not be beneficial … at this time" and said those interested may apply for a WAV-restricted license. It also notes that no accessible electric vehicle is on the U.S. market.
But you can still switch the car on a license you hold. The same review counted 959 conversions from internal-combustion vehicles to EVs in its past year. The steps:
- Register the bZ4X with DMV.
- File the vehicle transfer within 15 days (rule 59A-09(a), chapter 59).
- Pass TLC's inspection before approval. Details: TLC plates for FHVs and can I switch my TLC car to an EV.
If your license is already EV-only, rule 59A-06(a)(3)/(a)(4) keeps it restricted to fully battery electric vehicles. See EV FHV license rules.
Powertrain and base types
1,156 of 1,159 are at black car bases, where app trips are dispatched; 3 are at livery bases. None are yellow taxis and none are wheelchair accessible. App companies must send a growing share of trips to zero-emission or accessible vehicles under TLC's Green Rides rule; see the Green Rides Initiative.
Costs and charging
TLC's review says TLC drivers get a 15% discount at NYC DOT fast-charging sites. It did not price the bZ4X specifically. Your real cost depends on what you pay for the car, your insurance, where you charge and how many miles you drive each week, so use your own numbers in the EV savings tool and read EV charging for TLC drivers.
Compare the Tesla Model Y, Fisker Ocean, Cadillac Lyriq and Kia Niro, or see TLC electric vehicle fleet statistics. For inspections, see TLC vehicle inspection.
More in the EV topic and vehicles topic; try the lease-vs-buy tool.
Data on this page
Aggregates of public data. They describe trips and vehicles, never individual people.
TLC's vehicle lists have no make/model column, so TLC Help decoded the VIN of every licensed vehicle with NHTSA's vPIC decoder (one representative VIN per manufacturer + model-descriptor + model-year pattern) and published only counts. 5 of 115,081 vehicles (0%) could not be decoded to a model and are left out. vPIC sometimes reports trim-family names (e.g. 'RX' not 'RX 350h'); powertrain comes from vPIC's electrification/fuel fields and may misclassify a few model years. Snapshot lists change daily.
- Toyota bZ4X: licensed TLC vehicles by model year — Active FHVs and authorized medallion taxis that are a Toyota bZ4X, by model year.NYC Open Data: FHV - Active (8wbx-tsch) and Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb), VINs decoded with NHTSA vPIC · pulled Oct 12, 2026Model year from TLC's vehicle_year / model_year columns. Age limits for TLC vehicles come from TLC rules, not this chart.
- Toyota bZ4X in the TLC fleet: hybrid, electric or gas — Licensed Toyota bZ4X vehicles by powertrain (from decoded VINs).NYC Open Data: FHV - Active (8wbx-tsch) and Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb), VINs decoded with NHTSA vPIC · pulled Oct 12, 2026
- Toyota bZ4X: where it is licensed (FHV base type vs medallion taxi) — Licensed Toyota bZ4X vehicles by fleet: FHVs by the type of base they are affiliated with, and medallion taxis.NYC Open Data: FHV - Active (8wbx-tsch) and Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb), VINs decoded with NHTSA vPIC · pulled Oct 12, 2026Wheelchair-accessible (FHV list): 0 WAV, 0 PILOT. App-based (high-volume) work generally runs through black car bases.
Frequently asked questions
How many Toyota bZ4X are licensed by the TLC?
1,159 in the October 12, 2026 snapshot, all for-hire vehicles: 628 from model-year 2023, 520 from 2024 and 11 from 2025. TLC Help counted them by decoding VINs with NHTSA's vPIC decoder.
Is the bZ4X a common EV in the TLC fleet?
It is the third most common battery-electric model, after the Tesla Model Y (6,157) and Fisker Ocean (2,731), and about 8.5% of the 13,688 battery-electric FHVs.
Can I switch my gas TLC car to a bZ4X?
Yes, if you already hold an FHV license: a vehicle transfer moves it to a new car, filed within 15 days of DMV registration, with a TLC inspection (rule 59A-09(a)). TLC's February 2026 review counted 959 conversions from gas to EV in the past year.
Can I get a new EV-only license for a bZ4X?
No. TLC is not issuing new EV-only licenses. As of February 2026 the only new FHV licenses available are restricted to wheelchair accessible vehicles, and TLC says no accessible EV is on the U.S. market.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- NYC Open Data: For Hire Vehicles (FHV) – Active (8wbx-tsch) data.cityofnewyork.us
- NYC Open Data: Medallion Vehicles – Authorized (rhe8-mgbb) data.cityofnewyork.us
- NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder API vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
- TLC: FHV License Review, February 2026 nyc.gov
- TLC Industry Notice 23-09: New EV license applications halted nyc.gov
- TLC Rule Book Chapter 59 (For-Hire Vehicles), updated Feb 27, 2026 nyc.gov
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the official source.
TLC Help is not a law firm and is not affiliated with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission or OATH. Explanations on this site are general information, not legal advice. Legal representation is provided by independent attorneys and OATH-registered representatives in our network.