COURTESY ILLUSTRATION / HPD This is an artist's rendering of a proposed hybrid vehicle for use by Honolulu police. The make and model of the car have yet to be determined.

Police to test hybrid cars

The Honolulu Police Department has launched a pilot project to determine whether it can cut fuel costs through the use of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles.

Police have received approval from the city to purchase six hybrid sedans, at about $30,000 each, Chief Boisse Correa said yesterday.

Correa noted that no taxpayer money is being used for the project. The department will tap federal asset forfeiture funds that are available.

"We're getting federal funds to experiment on these vehicles and see what is going to happen," he said. "How are they going to affect police operations? Can we use them? Are the batteries strong enough for the amount of electricity that's needed for patrolling of our streets?

"All those issues are going to surface as we look at this type of equipment."

Just as consumers have felt the impact of higher prices at the gas pumps, so has HPD.

Maj. Mark Nakagawa, commander of the department's finance division, said HPD has budgeted $4.6 million for fuel in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. The department has set aside $5 million for next fiscal year.

Last year the fuel budget was just below $4 million, but the department needed to ask the city for an additional $800,000 to cover the rise in fuel costs.

The purchase of the hybrid sedans is being put out to bid.

Authorities say the hybrid vehicles modified for police use get about 30 mpg, compared with the modified Ford Crown Victoria sedans, which get about 20 mpg. Fuel savings also might be seen in other areas.

"A lot of our operations involve the vehicles idling with blue lights running," Nakagawa said. "With a hybrid, if it's running off the battery, it's drawing zero (gasoline).

"Conceptually, we think it's going to be a vast improvement, but we want to see what the real-world results are."

Correa said HPD also is requesting authority to purchase a hybrid sport utility vehicle outfitted with specialized communications equipment.

HPD has about 300 "blue and white" cruisers in its fleet and subsidizes about 1,250 vehicles for officers.