New York City plans to spend $11.5 million to purchase 184 Mustang Mach-E battery-electric vehicles for use by its police and various emergency response departments — the announcement coming just weeks after a Big Apple startup said it plans to add the Mach-E to its growing fleet of yellow cabs.
New York becomes the latest city in the country to begin introducing BEVs to their government fleets. Last August, Los Angeles officials introduced a plan that could lead to shifting the city’s entire motor vehicle fleet to battery power. Even smaller towns like Ipswich, Massachusetts have begun introducing EVs into their government fleets.
“Smart investments in fleet electrification will help New York City break its dependence on fossil fuels,” Dawn Pinnock, the acting commissioner of the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services, said in a news release.
Bells and whistles — and lights and sirens
The 184 Mustang Mach-E SUVs will arrive in New York by June, each costing an average $62,500 after customization. Pricing on the 2022 Mustang Mach-E begins at $61,995 before upgrades and applicable tax credits. The battery-electric vehicles will be parceled out to seven different agencies within the city, including the New York Police Department and the New York City Sheriff’s Office, both getting the high-performance Mach-E GT model.
“This order of all electric Mach-Es will enable our law enforcement agencies to put electric models to the full test and work out maintenance, lights and sirens, charging, and other operational issues,” said Keith Kerman, the chief fleet officer for the NYPD.
Additional Mach-Es will be provided to New York’s Department of Corrections, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Environmental Protection, NYC Emergency Management, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Ford adds another tool to its police fleet
The use of the Mach-E by the NYPD could help Ford find new markets for the BEV and give it another option for its emergency fleets. In a tweet, the automaker’s CEO Jim Farley pointed out that Ford is currently the country’s biggest supplier of police responders. For years, it primarily relied on special versions of the Ford Crown Victoria. Today, it’s the Ford Explorer SUV.
“As America’s leading maker of police vehicles, @Ford is proud the City of New York is adding the Mustang Mach-E GT to the NYPD fleet,” Farley said in a tweet.
According to a statement by the New York government, this is the largest single purchase of electric vehicles by any U.S. government entity to date. But that could be challenged by other cities in the not-too-distant future. Los Angeles, in particular, is studying a switchover to BEVs. And President Job Biden is mandating a shift of the federal vehicle fleet that eventually could see close to 1 million BEVs go into operation.
Mustang Mach-E passes a critical test
Police agencies, in particular, are finding some significant advantages to EVs, starting with the rapid acceleration they can offer for pursuit vehicles. In September, the Mach-E became the first battery-electric vehicle to pass testing by the Michigan State Police, a process examining a vehicle’s top speed, braking and pursuit capabilities. The agency has not yet announced plans to acquire any of the vehicles, however.
In a background conversation with TheDetroitBureau.com, one of the officers involved in approving vehicle purchases for the Los Angeles Police Department said there is strong interest in using electric vehicles. The LAPD now operates a handful of battery-powered vehicles, including motorcycles. But the official — who was not approved to discuss the purchase process — said the challenge is range and the slow charging times of today’s EVs.
The Mach-E GTs going to New York will have an EPA-rated range of 270 miles — though that can vary widely depending upon when, where and how they are used. Aggressive driving, as well as operation in cold weather, can reduce range significantly.
According to the New York officials, the city currently has 103 fast chargers citywide, with 29 fast chargers available for the NYPD. It plans to bring its fast charger count to 275 by the end of this year.
Electrifying the yellow cab fleet
New Yorkers could soon find the Mustang Mach-E a familiar sight, not only wearing NYPD’s blue-and-white markings, but also painted taxi yellow.
Last month, startup Gravity kitted up its first Mach-E for use as a cab. The company plans to soon have 50 BEVs in its fleet, including both the Ford SUV and modified versions of the Tesla Model Y SUV.
“I think the Mustang and the Model Y are kind of like the ideal taxi vehicles that are available today,” Moshe Cohen, the founder and CEO of Gravity, told website the Verge.
A small number of Teslas, including the Model 3 sedan, already have been put into operation in New York by other fleet operators.