City guards and traffic police in Poland’s capital will have an opportunity to test drive six electric patrol cars.

The first ecologically-friendly vehicle is to appear in the Old Town district at the end of this year or the beginning of 2010.

“The eco-cars will be tested till mid-2011,” says Marcin Wroblewski from the infrastructure office at the city council. Among them will be electric vehicles made by the British firm Nice, though traffic cops will only able to use them for slow moving criminals as the vehicles have a top speed of just 60 km per hour. They cover a distance of 100 km without recharging.

The cars will be bought thanks to EU funding.

The first electric car stations has been opened in Warsaw recently. The city authorities plan to roll out a total of 130 charging sites by next June. (kk/pg)