New York City will have a fully hybrid fleet of yellow taxicabs by 2012, with new mileage standards kicking in as early as next year, Mayor Bloomberg proposed yesterday.

Beginning October 2008, all new taxis in the fleet will be required to achieve a minimum of 25 miles per gallon. One year later, newly purchased cabs will be required to achieve a minimum of 30 miles per gallon.

Given the fuel efficiency of vehicles available on the market today, these new environmentally friendly standards would effectively limit the fleet to hybrid vehicles, city officials said.

"It will be the largest, cleanest fleet of taxis anywhere on the planet," Bloomberg declared.

The announcement - details of which were first reported in yesterday's Daily News - comes a month after Bloomberg unveiled an ambitious 127-point plan he described as the broadest scale attack on global warming undertaken by any city ever.

Bloomberg, who continues to deny interest in running for President, took time yesterday to tout the taxi proposal on NBC's "Today Show" and CNN's "The Situation Room."

The Ford Crown Victoria, which accounts for roughly 90% of the city's 13,000 yellow cabs, gets 14 miles per gallon. By increasing fuel efficiency to 30 miles per gallon, officials estimate the average taxi operator will save more than $10,000 per year.

The city currently has 375 hybrid vehicles on the streets. By October 2010, that number should grow to 7,000.

Officials also said yesterday they will be moving forward on greening the city's 35,000 for-hire vehicles. The city plans to come up with standards for those vehicles in the future.

The new rules are expected to be approved by the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission within the next few months.

Evgeny Friedman, who owns a fleet of about 800 cabs and currently has 120 hybrids, called the hybrid proposal a "no-brainer." He said drivers who rent his fleet of cars make more money. They shell out between $7 and $9 a day for gasoline, compared with $30 for the Crown Victorias, and the maintenance expenses are far lower, he said.

Matthew Daus, head of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, dismissed criticism that hybrids would be less roomy, less comfortable and provide less trunk space.

Stunning some industry officials, Daus said, "When it comes to legroom and trunk space, I think the biggest priority for us, the city and the mayor is basically the environment."

"That comes first. Everything else will fall into place."

Yesterday, several groups representing handicapped people criticized the mayor for failing to make taxis more handicap-accessible. Less than 100 cabs are handicap-accessible today, advocates said.

Michael Harris, campaign coordinator for the Disabled Riders Coalition, said he's disappointed with Bloomberg's "blatant disregard" for the handicapped.

When The News asked Bloomberg about the criticism from the handicapped, the mayor dismissively replied, "I'm sure you have found somebody that isn't happy and we appreciate the efforts that you make."