The Windy City is well-known for many things: its food, its music, its rich history, its art scene. Soon, it will also be known for its cabbies driving natural-gas-powered vans.

Taxi Medallion Management, which is also affiliated with Yellow Cab Chicago, bought a small fleet of Ford Transit Connect vans as part of its goal to cut its total emissions by 25 percent. The natural-gas-powered vans themselves are expected to arrive in the city early…