Overview

• Citywide deployment begins Friday, with the new Ford Police Interceptor Utility SUVs headed to precincts across all five boroughs.
• The vehicles use sensors to monitor 270 degrees to warn officers of potential ambushes and include crash-avoidance tech, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, pursuit mode and dark-car mode.
• Hybrid powertrains are expected to cut fuel consumption by about 35% and reduce idling emissions as emergency systems operate off the battery.
• The purchase is the first tranche in a plan for more than 1,500 hybrid patrol cars to replace a fleet with over 70% of vehicles past their life cycle, at roughly $50,000 per unit.
• Officials say fully electric cruisers are not feasible yet due to charging time and infrastructure gaps, and the department also introduced new tow trucks and ESU REP vehicles.