Arkansas Police to Try Hybrid Fleet

Call me old fashion but ill take a crown vic or a charger anyday over any hybrid

Why can't Ford design a Crown Vic with a more fuel-efficient engine? All those engineers should be able to design a better engine.

I did a research paper a few years back on the true savings with hybrid vehicles, and the facts (at that time) clearly show that they create a BIGGER footprint than a standard gasoline vehicle. They are more expensive, so your true 'savings' in fuel economy will take a while to level out (as in this case, the officer is only saving 3mpg), they require more maintance and are more expensive to repair due to the battery bank, and when the cars are finally retired the batteries do more damage pollution wise to break down than the carbon output of a regular vehicle. Factories producing the different cars were about the same for pollution output.

If memory serves it would take the average consumer 15 years of owning the same hybrid before they really 'save money,' while not reducing pollution either. Very few civilian cars and next to no police cars are owned that long. Keep in mind this was a few years ago when hybrid technology was fairly new. Things may have changed since then.

Then take into effect the smaller cars that officers dont like, and the negative stigma applied to putting foreign vehicles on patrol.

Doesn't sound like a very good system to me.

Camry's?! I just can't see it. The cvpi is plain intimidating on the road. The camry is going turn patrols in to soccer mom auditions

Our sheriff's department is using some ford fusion hybrids on patrol. they seem to be doing well

We are our own worst enemy! This is "Bottom line" economics.....

Camry ............40.36 Miles per gallon.
Detroit product 40.36 Jobs per gallon.

Find the competetive comparable out of Detroit and buy American.

We currently have two of the hybrids at my agency for T/E purposes. If they continue to perform like they do now, I will purchase them in place of the crown-vic or the charger from now on for non-emergency responders within the agency. It could save this city a ton of money in gas and maintenance costs.

The car does not make the cop. Just be glad you have a job and a car to ride in.

Nobody mentions the comfort issue. Spending many hours a day inside a cramped uncomfortable patrol car with all we carry on our duty belt can be torture if not in a roomy comfortable vehicle.

And we wonder why AMERICAN companies are failing. I here it all the time, the car is built in America so I'm supporting American jobs. But where does the final money and up.............. Tokyo, not Detroit. I'm a GM fan but I'm not impressed with the Impala with all the problems we have had, but we keep buying them, only because Gm will give the 5 yr, 100,00 mile warenty unlike Ford and Dodge.

And we wonder why AMERICAN companies are failing. I here it all the time, the car is built in America so I'm supporting American jobs. But where does the final money and up.............. Tokyo, not Detroit. I'm a GM fan but I'm not impressed with the Impala with all the problems we have had, but we keep buying them, only because Gm will give the 5 yr, 100,00 mile warenty unlike Ford and Dodge.