| London’s Metropolitan Police
force has placed an order for 117 Civic Hybrid cars for its community
support officers from Honda.
Stuart Middleton, the Met’s director of transport services, said:
“It is now widely acknowledged that hybrids provide the middle stepping
stone to hydrogen fuel – our long term goal.
“The hybrids will help meet police requirements and at the same
time fulfil social responsibility to try and make our fleet of vehicles
as green as possible."
Honda has said that the deal is indicative of increased public concern
over “green” issues and that there has been a rise in the
number of quotations requested for hybrid vehicles from the organisations
in the public sector.
| Honda's Civic Hybrid could be considered
a "stepping stone" to hydrogen fuelled vehicles |
 |
Honda also claimed that other alternatively fuelled vehicles had been
investigated by the Met, such as electric and LPG cars, but had been
found wanting due to impracticality, lack of funding or downturns in production.
The Greater London Authority has announced plans to introduce up to 70
hydrogen powered vehicles by 2010, of which the Metropolitan Police would
take charge of four.
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