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266 Volvo XC90s held TLC licenses on October 12, 2026, all as for-hire vehicles (FHVs). It is the only Volvo among the 60 most common TLC models, ranking 52nd.
Its powertrain is unlike any other model on TLC plates. 168 XC90s decode as mild hybrids. Across the whole FHV fleet there are only 419 mild hybrids, so the XC90 alone accounts for about 40% of them. Another 21 are plug-in hybrids, and the XC90 fleet is young: more than half are model year 2024 or newer.
How the XC90s were counted
TLC's FHV list and medallion list record VINs, not models. TLC Help decoded each VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder. The mild hybrid, plug-in and gas labels come from vPIC's electrification fields and may be wrong for a few model years. The lists change daily.
Mostly 2024 and later
Model year 2024 has 77 XC90s and 2025 has 56. Only 12 are 2026s so far. Before 2024, the counts are smaller and fairly even: 21 to 33 a year for 2020 to 2023. There are just 3 XC90s older than 2019.
TLC's current FHV rules set no age limit; passing inspections is what counts. See TLC vehicle retirement age and TLC vehicle inspection.
Mild hybrid, plug-in or gas
These words mean different things. A mild hybrid has a small electric motor that helps the gas engine; it cannot drive on battery power alone and you never plug it in. A plug-in hybrid has a bigger battery you charge from an outlet and can drive some miles on electricity. vPIC labels most TLC XC90s as mild hybrids, while the EPA's data files the B5 and B6 under "hybrid", so you may see either word for the same kind of car.
Sources: EPA labels for the B5, B6 and T8 Recharge. Two things stand out for a driver. First, the mild hybrid's mpg is close to a regular gas SUV's, so don't expect hybrid-level savings from a B5. Second, the EPA lists premium gas for every version, which usually costs more per gallon than regular. Put both into the lease-vs-buy tool before you decide. If you choose the T8, its 33 electric miles only help if you can charge often; see NYC EV charging for TLC drivers.
Base types
265 XC90s are at black car bases, which is where app trips are dispatched, and 1 at a luxury limousine base. None are at livery bases, none are taxis and none are marked wheelchair accessible. Compared with the Lincoln Nautilus, a similar premium SUV where 9.4% work from luxury limousine bases, the XC90 is almost entirely a black car vehicle.
Plates
An XC90 is not a wheelchair accessible vehicle, and new FHV licenses are now issued only for approved accessible ones (TLC). If you hold a license that is not WAV-restricted, you can switch it to an XC90 with a vehicle transfer, filed within 15 days of DMV registration and approved after inspection (rule 59A-09(a), chapter 59). See TLC plates for FHVs and FHV insurance requirements.
The XC90's 71.1% counts mild hybrids, so it is not directly comparable with the full hybrids in the Lexus RX. Also see the Cadillac XT6, Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and TLC fleet by make and model.
More in the vehicles topic.
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.
- Volvo XC90: licensed TLC vehicles by model year — Active FHVs and authorized medallion taxis that are a Volvo XC90, 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.
- Volvo XC90 in the TLC fleet: hybrid, electric or gas — Licensed Volvo XC90 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
- Volvo XC90: where it is licensed (FHV base type vs medallion taxi) — Licensed Volvo XC90 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 Volvo XC90s are licensed by the TLC?
266 on October 12, 2026, all for-hire vehicles and none as yellow taxis, or 0.23% of TLC vehicles. TLC Help counted them by decoding VINs with NHTSA's vPIC decoder.
Is the XC90 on TLC plates a hybrid?
Mostly a mild hybrid. 168 decode as mild hybrid (63.2%), 21 as plug-in hybrid and 77 as gas. A mild hybrid has a small electric helper but cannot drive on electricity alone; the plug-in T8 can.
What fuel does an XC90 use?
The EPA lists premium gasoline for all three 2024 XC90 versions it rates: the B5, the B6 and the T8 plug-in. Premium costs more per gallon than regular, so include that in your numbers.
How new are TLC XC90s?
New. The median model year is 2024, and 145 of 266 (54.5%) are model year 2024 or newer, against about 31% of all FHVs.
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
- fueleconomy.gov: 2024 Volvo XC90 B5 AWD fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2024 Volvo XC90 B6 AWD fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2024 Volvo XC90 T8 AWD Recharge fueleconomy.gov
- TLC: Get a For-Hire Vehicle License nyc.gov
- TLC Rule Book Chapter 59 (For-Hire Vehicles) 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.