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NYPD’s Blue just got a little greener by adding 40 new Nissan Altima Hybrids to their fleet.

Announced by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, the Altimas are the first set of of alternative-fuel patrol cars to help with the goals set by PlaNYC. Announced back in 2006, PlaNYC aims to reduce Manhattan’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30% come 2017.

“These new patrol cars will help fulfill the PlaNYC goal of reducing City government’s carbon footprint,” said Mayor Bloomberg.

The hybrids will be divvied amongst precincts with large coverage areas and smaller precincts prone to heavy stop-n-go traffic: essentially where their fuel efficiency provides the greatest economic and environmental impact.

Of the forty cars, 18 of them are marked and 22 are unmarked. And while the Altimas are the first alternative-fuel vehicles used for police cars, they account for only 40 out of the 100 or more hybrids the Department plans to deploy this year.

Currently there are 3,300 hybrids among a fleet of 26,000 city-owned vehicles. But most hybrids are assigned to sanitation, buildings, parks and transportation.

“The NYPD embraces innovation when it doesn’t compromise performance or safety to our personnel and the public,” said Commissioner Kelly. “We want to get the most mileage out of technology where it makes sense – with the addition of these hybrids, we’re doing that literally.”

The Alitmas cost $25,391 per vehicle. Where an Impala is $23,967 and it’s $24,875 for the Crown Victorias. But for city driving, the Altima gets double the gas mileage of the others.

Also the Altimas has greater acceleration – zero to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds!

“Through savings in fuel, these Altimas can quickly cover their additional cost, from then they will save taxpayers money – another example of how going green is good for our environment and our pocketbooks,” Bloomberg said.

Nissan Altima hybrids are American-made unlike the Canadian-produced Crown Victorias and Chevy Impalas that comprise most of the fleet. And am I the only person who sees the irony in that?

“It is an added benefit that buying these cars helps create jobs in America,” Bloomberg said.

The Department will monitor their performance over the coming year to determine if they should be further expanded into the fleet.

Source [NYPD] | Photo [Newsday and NYC.gov]

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