Christchurch Police have unveiled the latest tool in their arsenal - an electric vehicle capable of going from 0 to 100km/h in less than six seconds.
The fully-electric BMW i4 is one of five Police will be testing around the country as part of a national six month trial to assess the suitability of the electric vehicles for 24/7 use over a variety of terrains.
But initially the new Police EVs will be used for road policing duties focussing on how the cars perform on different road conditions, in different temperatures, and the impact by occupants lugging heavy police gear.
Senior Constable Andy Davis said the BMW i4 was a very stable and capable vehicle. "It's quick, it's quiet and I think it's quite well suited to our role". The $1.7 million EV project was launched by Police bosses in June, as part of a wider project to electrify the fleet.
The initiative was co-funded by the State Sector Decarbonisation Fund, with collaboration with EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority). Retail pricing for the BMW i4 eDrive40 in New Zealand normally starts at $110,000.
NZ Police say the model was chosen for the trial because it most closely matches their heavy use operational requirements. The BMW i4 can be fully charged in two hours, and can reach 100kp/h in 5.7 seconds.
"This particular vehicle has quite good range. We're experiencing around about the 400km mark at the moment, and certainly put it through its paces".
Police have a 10-year fleet strategy (2020-2030) aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and improving sustainability across the fleet.
Electric and hybrid vehicles were tested by police in 2020 but were not chosen due to limitations including power efficiency and the total cost of ownership. If the nationwide trial proves successful, Police say they'll consider converting other parts of their fleet to being fully-electric.
By Geoff Sloan
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
