NYPD ... Green????
By John O'Dell December 31, 2007
NYPD Detective Derek Siconola astride a Vectrix electric scooter.
The New York Police Department will begin road testing four all-electric Vectrix scooters in January as part of a broader campaign to make America's largest police department a greener one as well.
The 36,000-officer NYPD has already deployed a handful of hybrid cars, as well as a number of flex-fuel vehicles that can run on both gasoline and ethanol. The department 's park patrols and traffic and street demonstration control units presently use 329 Piaggio scooters and 104 smaller Yamaha scooters that run on gasoline.
The Vectrix is heavier than the Piaggio, but with a top speed of more than 60 miles an hour is nearly as fast. And the electric scooters can be recharged simply by plugging them into a standard outlet for as little as two hours.
Recharging costs a fraction of refueling with gasoline, a savings that Vectrix President Andrew MacGowen claims will quickly cover the difference in price with Piaggios, which cost the NYPD about half as much.
The range of the Vectrix is limited to 40-60 miles per charge, but police officials said they may be willing to sacrifice some range for zero emissions.
Detective Derek Siconola, who will train the NYPD's electric scooter riders, suggested the quiet electric motors also offer a side benefit: the element of surprise. "You could easily sneak up on somebody if they don't expect it," he said.
Vectrix recently approached several major police departments with its sleek scooter, but the NYPD was the first to take a serious look at it, MacGowan said, adding that the Vectrix scooter is the first all-electric two-wheeler to be government-certified to travel on any highway, street or road.
According to the company's website, Vectrix scooters are powered by a 125-volt, Nickel Metal Hydride battery pack designed for up to 1,700 full charging cycles.
Based on an average distance traveled of 100-150 miles per week, and two to three full charging cycles per week, the battery pack could last up to 15 years. Partial charges are not expected to reduce the life expectancy of the battery pack, the company says.
Vectrix USA is located in Newport, R.I., with an engineering and test facility in New Bedford, Mass. The company also has European office, in Rome, and its scooters are assembled in Poland.
Scott Doggett, Contributor
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