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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpgWhether or not the hybrids can take a beating in the country's biggest city, however, will determine their future in police work. (http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/ariel-schwartz/sustainability/nypd-blue-goes-green-hybrid-cars)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_Nissan_Altima_Hybrid1.jpgAriel Schwartz - FastCompany (http://www.fastcompany.com) - Feb. 24, 2009

Police all over the country are considering hybrids now. --Ed.

The next time you get arrested in New York City, you might find yourself in a brand new NYPD hybrid vehicle. The police department is getting ready to deploy 40 Nissan Altima hybrids in the next two weeks. While some NYC cops already drive around in hybrids, this is the first time that the cars will be used on patrol.

The vehicles reportedly drive 35 miles per gallon -- twice the range of the current police car fleet of Crown Victorias and Chevy Impalas. Hybrids run in near-silence, which may add an element of stealth when needed to the standard perp pursuit. New York City will test out its $1.1 million investment over the next few months to see if the hybrids can handle the grueling 24-hour NYPD schedule.

But at least one town has already deemed the hybrids inefficient for police work. "We've already done extensive research on hybrids. They don't... http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/ariel-schwartz/sustainability/nypd-blue-goes-green-hybrid-cars

I still don't get the "not enough pickup" comment by the one town.
Hybrids can often be faster 0 to 60 that their ICE only counterparts. For city pursuit, acceleration and handeling is key...top speed, not so much so. As far as top speed, still don't see the problem unless using the standard engine, which I didn't think cruisers usually did.

Anyone know if Nissan created a special cruiser version, or they using an off the shelf model with the department making any modifications?

Hey, you can often chase 'em down with just a bicycle that's properly equipped. It's called a radio. Long as you have a liscence plate, the guy is toast. (Umn, it's a "Hybrid Pursuit" Schwinn --- nice big pedals and a push-to-squawk button).

Clearly there's not a "one size fits all" for police vehicles. I seriously doubt that a patrol car in downtown NY is ever going to need extreme levels of acceleration with the constant traffic. That's why there are a few corvette cops in New Mexico and the southwest - to catch the occasional extreme speeder in a sports car who can do 130+ mph, in areas where traffic actually allow such driving. Although they "cost an additional $8,000" it's important to note that they save ~$6000 in fuel over the first 100,000 miles with gas being a niche above $2/gal. At $4 a gallon that amount doubles - so clearly it does make economic sense in many situations. I would also imagine them having higher resale value so I wonder where their cost calculations are coming from.

Although they "cost an additional $8,000" it's important to note that they save ~$6000 in fuel over the first 100,000 miles

Cop cars are usually only kept for about 75,000 miles or so, however with the amt. of time held idling in the crown vics and impalas, the amount saved will probably be much more than the cost of the initial difference.

Cop cars are usually only kept for about 75,000 miles or so,

Really? Some back of the napkin math suggests that would mean a car life between 6 months and 3 years.

3 years is probably fairly reasonable, but 6 or even 12 months, would be replacing cars far too often.

Really? Some back of the napkin math suggests that would mean a car life between 6 months and 3 years.

3 years is probably fairly reasonable, but 6 or even 12 months, would be replacing cars far too often.

Egads... I know that the patrol vehicles on base here get run about 500 miles a day. 75K miles is only 150 days at that rate.

And I have been in one that was 2 years old.

Prime place to use a hybrid as far as I am concerned. It's not somewhere that you'll be chasing down the criminals. It's not like they can get off of the base and anywhere you they would go to attempt getting away (or doing harm) is guarded like no one's business.

Just chase them around til they run out of gas!

New York City? These are perfect. New York state highway patrol? Those are the folks who need the V8 RWD. It's about using the right tool for the job.

I only hope these are up to the job, so that others who are watching will follow suit.

If the Nissan's work out then I wonder if the NYPD will go domestic with the Fusion hybrid in the coming future.

It's to bad there isn't an affordable HAH type car around. A bigger performance oriented hybrid would work well for highway patrol.

Really? Some back of the napkin math suggests that would mean a car life between 6 months and 3 years.

3 years is probably fairly reasonable, but 6 or even 12 months, would be replacing cars far too often.

I spoke with one of the cops around town when I was in Utica NY. That is info I got from him. They usually auction them off after that. City cops are different than state troopers, and yes Jon, 2-3 yrs is about the length of time they keep the cars.

I spoke with one of the cops around town when I was in Utica NY. That is info I got from him. They usually auction them off after that. City cops are different than state troopers, and yes Jon, 2-3 yrs is about the length of time they keep the cars.

I've been pulled over in a bumfauck town up in Maine before by a cop who's car looked like it drove straight out of ET ;)

Hi All:
On average, they cost $8,000 more per car and they don't have the pickup needed for pursuits,"said Peter Cresci, the City Business Administrator of Bayonne, NJ.
___Now there is a city Administrator that has not done a TCO and even mentioning “pursuit”, he has a whole string of legal troubles on his hands during the next “pursuit” that leads to injury or death. Slower speed stuff around town, sure. High speed stuff (over 113), oh jeeezzzz....

___Good Luck

___Wayne