NYPD Altima Hybrid

NYPD Altima Hybrid

NYPD is about to roll out some Nissan Altima Hybrids for serious on-duty action. As part of a $1.1 million pilot program, the police will put 40 Altima Hybrids on the road within the next two weeks.  Eighteen of the hybrids will be marked patrol cars, twenty will be unmarked and the remaining two will be disguised as yellow cabs. Sneaky.

Most of the rest of the PD's fleet is comprised of Ford Crown Victorias and Chevy Impalas, both of which consume about twice as much fuel as the Altima Hybrid, which gets an estimated 35 miles per gallon in the city. Fuel economy and the spacious interior were a few of the reasons why the Department chose the Altima.

The Altima Hybrid is built in Nissan's Smyrna, Tennessee plant and uses a gas-electric hybrid system designed by Toyota. While it is a more eco-friendly choice, whether the hybrid will stand up to the harsh demands of a police department remains to be seen. This is, after all, a sector that has been dominated by the aforementioned Crown Vics, Impalas and Dodge Chargers for years.

Source: New York Post