New Super Fast Electric Patrol Cars Come To Upper East Side Precinct

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Looks like the 1-9 can now go 0-60 in 4.03 seconds.

Last week, Patch noticed that the 19th Precinct had unveiled two new all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E GT police cruisers parked outside the precinct house on East 67th Street.

The cars are part of city efforts to turn the massive fleet of city-owned cars towards "greener" pastures.

In late 2021, the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services announced that they had placed a purchase of 184 of the electric Mustangs at a cost of $11.5 million. Now, the department tells Patch that order has been increased to 347 of the silent and speedy patrol cars, with the total purchase rising to $21.1 million.

"There was a time in the not-so-distant past where the thought of an all-electric patrol car seemed like nothing more than a hope for the future, but we’re proud to share that future is now," NYC DCAS Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock said in a statement to Patch. "With the addition of nearly 200 Mach E vehicles for law enforcement agencies, we’re innovating, reimagining, and strengthening our fleet in the greenest way possible."

To date, the NYPD has received 149 of the cars so far at an average cost of $64,895, according to DCAS, and 113 charging ports, including 31 fast chargers, have been installed for NYPD use.

But the car, which some local news websites described as "Badass," is not without its critics.

On Twitter, users mostly reacted positively to a 19th Precinct announcement, but some users complained the cars were a waste of money or were upset by the "green" fleet.

The car also received knocks from the Michigan State Police, who tested the car just days before NYC announced their first purchase order in 2021.

While the testing found the 480 horsepower Mustang excelled at acceleration, braking and maintenance costs, officers ultimately ranked the car near the bottom of the list of 11 vehicles for issues like lap times, comfort, steering wheel and other controls.

It also ranked dead last for visibility, according to The Drive.

That combination of poor visibility and blazing-fast speeds comes at a time when NYPD drivers have recently been involved in a number of high-profile car crashes injuring New Yorkers.

In February, a 52-year-old Queens woman was killed by a NYPD driver heading to an emergency call.

Last October, an out-of-control NYPD driver injured 10 people when the patrol car jumped a Bronx corner, including two children and a 65-year-old.

And nearly a year ago, officers driving an NYPD van on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn struck and killed Roland Anthony Smith, dragging his body for 35 feet before stopping. Recently released body cam footage has Smith's family questioning if officers were watching a soccer game on a phone while speeding down the roadway through two red lights with their emergency lights activated.

Patch asked the NYPD if the zippy new cars required any additional driver training, but did not receive a response.