The newest Police Department vehicles are good for Mother Earth, bad for double-parkers.
The 10 fully electric Chevrolet Volts (pictured), unveiled yesterday, will be used by NYPD traffic agents, adding to the department’s growing fleet of eco-friendly cars.
The four-door sedans were put right to work — starting their inaugural patrols yesterday in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
But don’t count on these vehicles to help in any high-speed pursuits.
The cars take up to four hours to charge — and last for only 35 miles, the NYPD said. A gas-powered generator on board can recharge the battery for an additional 340 miles.
“These will not be used as patrol cars. A lot of equipment goes into a patrol car, [and] this vehicle does not meet the requirements,” a police source said.
The traffic-cop cruisers will be used as part of a six-month pilot program to see how well they work in the field.
They are among 70 electric cars that have been added to the city’s overall fleet this year alone.
New York’s Finest first greened up the NYPD Blue when it deployed Nissan Altima hybrids for use as patrol cars in 2009.
Since then, the department’s alternative-vehicle fleet has grown to include more than 300 hybrid and other vehicles.