The NYPD recently received a number of new Ford hybrid police vehicles as part of a wide-reaching effort to transition to a greener future. Now, we’re getting an inside look at what the electrified 5-0 have to offer, courtesy of a recent report from CBS This Morning.
The report examines a number of Ford hybrid vehicles, including the Ford Fusion-based Police Responder Sedan, which is considered the first “true hybrid built for police purposes,” and the Ford Explorer-based Police Interceptor SUV.
While the Responder and Interceptor are both based on the same vehicles Ford offers to the public, they are most definitely not standard, and come with extensive upgrades for police duty.
Additionally, the Ford hybrid police vehicles are expected to save the upwards of 1,500 gallons of gasoline annually per vehicle. According to CBS News, the NYPD spends roughly $15 million a year just on gasoline.
Interestingly, Deputy NYPD commissioner Robert Martinez said that hybrid police cars were not originally a consideration for Ford. “That was something that [was] kinda me thinking outside the box,” Martinez said. After two to three years of discussion, the Ford hybrid police cars are now beginning to materialize.
The NYPD first began experimenting with hybrid vehicles in 2009 by retrofitting existing civilian models. On average, these early vehicles managed to burn only a third of the fuel of a traditional gasoline-only cruiser.
It’s estimated that the typical police vehicle spends five hours idling during a routine eight-hour shift. This is where the Ford hybrid vehicles will excel, saving 900 gallons of gas per cruiser just in idling costs.
“All the tailpipe emissions are reduced because the engine is shutting off for extended periods of time,” said the marketing manager for Ford’s police business, Stephen Tyler. “It’s going to give you fewer oil changes. It’s going to give you fewer brake changes because of regenerative braking on the vehicle. You’re going to have fewer trips to the pump with your officers.”
Not only are the Ford hybrid vehicles more fuel-efficient, but they’re faster and more high-tech as well. One new feature is a perimeter alert that will warn the officers if there’s an individual approaching the vehicle from behind, automatically rolling up the windows and locking the doors in the process.
Of course, the new Ford hybrid police vehicles are more expensive up front, costing on average $3,500 more than a standard cruiser. However, as Martinez points out, the extra expenditure is paid for in fuel savings alone.
The first new batch of Ford hybrid police vehicles will roll out to the NYPD this fall. The department currently plans to buy hundreds of examples of the Responder Hybrid Sedan, and hopes to have every one of its 10,000-strong fleets go either electric or hybrid in the next five years.
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Source: CBS News
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