Not many electric cars need to charge up in the city yet, but a public parking lot on Ninth Ave. is the first in the city to offer them a fresh jolt.

Mayor Bloomberg and U.S. Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan plugged in a new Smart car at the W. 36th St. lot yesterday to mark the first of 100 charging stations planned for the region.

The chargers are part of a $15 million nationwide federal stimulus program that Donovan said will help spur job growth in new tech industries.

Although electric cars are scarce here, the city hopes to expand its fleet of hybrid and electric vehicles to reduce its carbon footprint.

Bloomberg said the NYPD hasn’t found electric vehicles reliable enough to replace his SUVs, but he makes sure he doesn’t waste gas.

“I used to go out in the summer and get into the car that the city nicely provides me and it was nice and cool. Now I get in and it’s stifling hot,” he said before taking the E train back to City Hall.

“So I know that the detectives are doing what we ask them to do: Don’t idle.”

(Source: NY Daily News)