The city says it plans to lease 160 pure electric vehicles of different makes and models, which will make it the nation’s largest fleet of electric vehicles.
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Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is all set to lease at least 160 battery operated vehicles to carry out its patrolling duties in the streets of Los Angeles.
The 288 new vehicles are being leased across a number of departments.
BMW is loaning the not-so-intimidating police cruiser to the force for a year as part of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s desire to get more electric or plug-in cars into the city’s fleet.
The company has also lent an additional 128 plug-in hybrids to general services, according to Inside EVs. They also have a BMW i3 driving around, too. You could go to one of Tesla’s showrooms and try to take one for a test drive. One hundred vehicles will be used exclusively by the police department, shared among detectives, investigators, and administrative employees, the mayor’s office said in a statement.
LADWP, meanwhile, now has 67 electric vehicles in its motor pool, including plug-in hybrid trucks-“which are not only better for air quality but quieter and therefore “friendlier” to the neighborhoods we serve”, General Manager Marcie Edwards said. Describing electric cars as “the future”, he said the new vehicles made sense for environmental and economic reasons.
The mayor said the move is equivalent to planting 20,000-plus trees and lowers harmful smog-forming pollutants like NOx and hydrocarbons.
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With acceleration from zero to 60 miles per hour in under three seconds and a top speed of 155 miles per hour, the Tesla P85D could conceivably see use as a police pursuit vehicle, however its steep price tag will likely keep this modern super sedan out of widespread fleet use. Plus, it cuts operating costs by an estimated 41 percent, and frees up city budget dollars that are now allocated to finance the purchase of vehicles.
