In recent weeks, the London Police Department decided to add alternative fuel vehicles to the ranks of the neighborhood patrol car, and not wishing to be upstaged, the New York Police Department has followed suit. Last week, the NYPD announced that it would add 40 hybrid vehicles to the fleet. The cars would be targeted in areas that are most demanding on gas powered cars and require a lot of stops and starts. The vehicles are Altimas, and while the NYPD had hybrids and segways for its parking enforcement fleet, these new hybrids will be used for active patrol.
The fuel efficient Altimas get 35 miles per gallon, and only cost about $1,500 more per vehicle. These costs will be surpasses by the gas mileage saved, without even considering the health benefits of a fleet of vehicles in the most populated city in the United States that do not release as much harmful fumes.
The NYPD plans to introduce as many as 100 hybrid vehicles before the year is out as part of the PlaNYC that seeks to cut the city government’s emissions by 30% before 2017.
