CAN YOUR GUN LOCK SURVIVE A DOUBLE TAP?? 9mm Ours Did.

EVs are fun to drive because of lots of horsepower and torque. Instant torque is generated by an electric current and magnetic fields in the electric motor, whereas a gas engine takes much longer to combust gas and turn the crankshaft. This instant torque in an EV is what throws you back against the seat when you accelerate from stoplight to stoplight.

Other than charging infrastructure, the biggest delay in transition to fully electric vehicles is availability of EVs and EVs that meet the law enforcement mission. Currently, there are no pursuit-rated or special-service package EVs for law enforcement or police service. Ford brought the Mach-E GT to Michigan State Police Vehicle Testing, and performance was impressive. What was not impressive was the 30 percent reduction in battery charge after 18 miles of high-speed track testing.

Currently, the NYPD only has two EV models in service, the Chevrolet Bolt and the Ford Mach-E Mustang. A fleet of 32 Bolts is assigned to Traffic Control, School Safety, and other non-patrol units. They have been in service for three years now, with very good reviews from both operators and mechanics. An order of 148 Ford Mach-Es was delivered, 40 unmarked and 108 fully marked units. There has not been enough data collected to do any type of fair comparison of cost per mile or maintenance cost as of this time.

Law enforcement vehicles projected within the next two years are the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro SSV and an all-new fully electric 2024 Chevrolet Blazer Police model. There is a rumor that Volvo will be releasing a police model for the United States. Tesla keeps popping up at various departments throughout the United States, but Tesla has not confirmed that they will have a pursuit model anytime soon. Ford is producing E-Transit vans that might be useful for prisoner transport or as a small command post.

With the gauntlet of variables for transitioning to electric vehicles, departments will have to study vehicle utilization. In most cases, it will not be one size fits all for police fleets. A vehicle that would meet the mission for community patrol might not meet the mission for highway patrol. EVs would probably have a better fit on the administrative side and detective squads. Electric vehicles and the charging infrastructure are extremely dynamic and fluid, and within the next couple of years, the crystal ball may become clearer. My suggestion to all fleet managers is to start a pilot program, get your feet wet with EVs, and collect your own data.