Hefty fuel costs last year made it more expensive for us to get to work, but the rises were disastrous for police forces struggling to work with outdated budgets and thirsty patrol cars. Last year New York City spent over $100 million to fuel the nation’s largest municipal fleet of vehicles, an increase of 58 percent over 2021’s spend, the New York Post reported.
But now the NYPD has set out an EV roadblock to stop runway fuel costs. The first of 100 electric Mustang Mach-E cop cars has been let loose on the city’s streets. NY’s police precincts already have hybrid vehicles at their disposal, which have helped to reduce gas spending and emissions, but this is the first time full EVs have been deployed as police vehicles in the city.
Two dozen Mach-Es kitted out in police liveries and with full lights and radios have been rolled out in the initial phase, with more to follow later. And these are no basic entry-level electric Mustangs. The NYPD went for the Mach-E GT, whose dual-motor powertrain sends 480 hp (487 PS) and 600 lb-ft (813 Nm) to the Ford’s four wheels. Zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) takes 3.5 seconds in standard production trim, though with a full complement of police kit the NYPD versions are likely to be slower.
Related: New York City Orders Fleet Of Ford Mustang Mach-E GTs For Law Enforcement Use
But even if the cop cars are a couple of tenths slower they’ll still be faster than the gas-powered cars on the NYPD’s fleets, and the low center of gravity means they’re more nimble, too. Plus, being an EV makes the Mach-E cop cars more environmentally friendly for police duty, where cars are often forced to idle for long periods of time, and the 270-mile (435 km) range should be enough to handle even the longest chases. Modifications over the stock GT include swapping the standard panoramic glass sunroof for a steel roof skin and adding ballistic side windows. The stealthy cop cars are being trialed by 10 precincts so far covering areas such as Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.