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City Police Force To Begin Using Hybrid Cars March 2005Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach will add hybrid vehicles to their fleets this year the first time the cities have experimented with the new gas-electric combinations.We are trying to make some strides in that respect, said Wade Kyle, Virginia Beachs fleet and waste management administrator. We believe the hybrids may be the way to go, so were trying them this year. Hybrid vehicles, which are growing in popularity because of skyrocketing gas prices, are powered by a combination of gas and electricity. Some of the environment -friendly vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, promise more than 50 miles per gallon on the highway. The general public has accepted hybrids, said Nic Van Vuuren, executive director of Hampton Roads Clean Cities. They are selling extremely well. The more people use them, the better off for air quality. Virginia Beach will buy about five this year. Portsmouth has ordered a $20,000 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid. Norfolk, which budgets about $2 million a year to fuel its fleet, has a contract to lease about five hybrid vehicles, said Mike Vogel, Norfolks fleet manager. Chesapeake ordered a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid sports utility vehicle, said William Broome, Chesapeakes director of general services. Were basically getting it in as an experiment, Broome said. I understand it cost about $28,218, about $9,000 more than a regular vehicle, Broome said. Its going to be assigned to the bridges section of public works. The cities will monitor the hybrids to determine how practical they are in general use. The cars are not likely to replace traditional police patrol cars but could possibly be used in support roles, Kyle said. While the hybrids represent a savings at the gas pumps, they will cost more, Kyle said. But, again, we want to be on the leading edge of technology, he said. Clean Cities would like to see all Hampton Roads cities move toward full petroleum displacement, Van Vuuren said. The hybrids will help the nation reduce its dependency on foreign oil, he said. They help us with our national energy security, Van Vuuren said. We import over 56 percent of our oil and thats obviously leading to a dependency that can be very dangerous. Suffolk has no immediate plans to experiment with the hybrid or a propane-powered vehicle because its not cost effective, said Cecil Hawkins, Suffolks director of fleet management. From what information I was able to gather, I dont see us doing it anytime in the near future, Hawkins said. Hawkins said the availability of the hybrids is limited. As for propane-fueled vehicles, the cost is similar to gas, he said. And one tank of diesel fuel lasts as long as three tanks of propane, he said. There are two different types of hybrid vehicles, said Brad Berman, editor of hybridcars.com. The Ford and Toyota vehicles have the capability of being all electric during certain times, mostly when the cars are taking off and at slow speeds, Berman said. The Honda model is always a combination of gas and electric, except when the car comes to a stop, Berman said. The main point is that these cars have sophisticated computers that regulate how much of the electrical side is used and how much of the gas side is used, Berman said. SOURCE: PilotOnline.com | ||
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