Pennyslvania town coppers get plug-in squad car
Take a 2000 Chevrolet Impala, convert it to all-electric power, give it to the Connellsville, PA police department and you've got America's first-in-the-nation BEV police cruiser. While it took two years to from idea to this week's press conference announcing the unique vehicle, now that the Connellsville cops have the silent car, they should be able to maneuver quickly through required duties. Fleeing suspects should beware of all the power (torque) inherent in this car thanks to its electric motor. Just don't ask the police to drive it in heavy rain; police chief Steve Cooper and United First Responders LLC president Dick Oglevee said at the ceremony that the cruiser can't be used in heavy rain because standing water might destroy the electrical circuits, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Interested in the car's numbers? We've only got a few. Apparently, the Impala EV can be recharged for an eight-hour shift in just two hours from a 240-volt outlet (four hours from 110), and will cost 35 cents a shift to operate, according to Bob McGowan, vice president and general manager of the company that designed the car. If the officers and city are happy with the vehicle during the test period of the next two years, other communities in the state might see EV service vehicles reach their doors.
[Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, h/t to Domenick]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Phil L. 8:48AM (8/24/2007)
Hmmm - I'd like to find out more about this conversion. Details: Batteries? Motor? Controller?
This item was also listed on AutoBlog, where it's noted that the numbers listed in the article for this car don't make much sense. $3-$4 fuel cost per shift for a comparable gas powered car? That's probably an optimistic 20 to 30 miles during 8 hours for a typical cruiser. Maybe there's not much crime in Connellsville.
A 5 year battery life? Most lead-acid EV folks claim a realistic 3 year life. Other chemistry can last longer - but costs more, and requires more care when charging. I notice they don't mention this project's cost. Custom conversions like this are pricey...
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Tim 11:34AM (8/24/2007)
This is not a pursuit cruiser, but would make sense for crowd control, PR, surveillance, traffic management, and other "low energy" tasks.
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Phil L. 1:33PM (8/24/2007)
But even "low energy" tasks probably require more than 20 miles in an 8 hour shift (additionally presuming the vehicle then isn't immediately available for the next shift, in order to charge).
That said, we're missing quite a bit of information for this vehicle that would be required to more fully evaluate its potential.
The fact that no one else I've heard of is currently offering EV versions of automotive platforms this size should be an indication that there are significant tradeoffs that mean it doesn't make sense for many applications.
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Domenick 4:30PM (8/24/2007)
The $3 to $4 dollars per shift refers to maintenance costs. Fuel is extra and the savings would depend upon the price of fuel and electricity.
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Chris M 3:40AM (8/25/2007)
Based on the recharge times, it sounds like about 14 to 15 Kwh capacity. With typical EV efficiency, that would mean about 50 to 60 mile range.
Maybe it will be used for parking meters and minor traffic ticketing.
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Phil L. 10:44PM (8/25/2007)
Domenick -
The relevant quote is:
"The cost to run a car on gasoline for an eight-hour shift costs between $3 and $4..."
I don't know about you, but this doesn't appear to say "maintenance costs only, not including fuel" to me. Again, the article is unclear and incomplete.
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