Electric Police

We have talked about specialized vehicles for specialized tasks before on Save on Gas. For example, families could use a Neighbourhood Electric Vehicle or NEV to run errands close to home. Picking up a couple of things at the grocery store is a perfect job for a NEV. In the United Kingdom, the police are thinking along similar lines. Police forces in the UK are introducing the Mitsubishi iMiEV (MiEV stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle) for urban policing. The iMiEV has a top speed of about 80 miles per hour and a full charge gives it a range of around a 100 miles. Clearly this is not a highway patrol car, but it is a perfect vehicle for urban community policing. It has space for 4 passengers and normal police equipment. And it is a great way to save on gas.

The iMiEV can be charged anywhere you can find an electric socket, so the cops can refuel while parked in front of the donut shop. It is also quieter than a gasoline internal combustion engine, so they can sneak up on the bad guys in the still of night. In the UK there are strict limits on greenhouse gas emissions. The iMiEV, being electric, does not emit CO₂ while operating. That is one of the big selling points for the police, who must comply with the tough regulations.

The use of the iMiEV is a perfect example of getting better fuel economy by choosing the right vehicle for the job at hand.