Current trends indicate that saving money and improving community relations will continue to drive law enforcement policy decisions for the foreseeable future. Following this train of thought, vehicles that run on electricity instead of gasoline and operate at lower speeds conducive to personal interaction are good news for both public safety and the public. Fortunately, there are several options available to agencies looking to take advantage of these innovative modes of transportation.
Electric Vehicles
Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) manufactures battery-electric vehicles that look very much like golf carts. But these diminutive autos come in a variety of sizes and styles with many options to customize them to your agency's needs. With a top speed of 25 mph, GEM cars have a range of up to 30 miles on a charge. They are battery-electric, operate on a 72-volt battery system, and plug into a standard 110-volt outlet.
More than 650 police and security agencies worldwide are using Segway products to patrol airports, downtown areas, transit stations, manufacturing facilities, shopping malls, and campuses. Because it only has two wheels and uses a gyroscope that senses body movement to steer and to balance the rider, the Segway is very maneuverable. The Segway PT is currently available in two police models. Both the i2 Police and x2 Police can travel at up to 12.5 mph and run on rechargeable batteries. Batteries can be recharged by utilizing any 90- to 260-volt and 50- to 60-Hz AC outlet.
Relatively new to the market, the T3 Series electric stand-up vehicle (ESV) from T3Motion was developed from the ground up specifically for police officers, based on officer input. Every T3 Series has standard features for law enforcement that include 1,000-foot visibility LED emergency lighting, vertically adjustable headlight, siren, and yelp horn. The three-wheel vehicle is front-wheel drive; has rear hydraulic disc brakes; is capable of speeds up to 25 mph; has a range of 10 to 25 miles (four to 10 hours) depending on speed, rider weight, terrain, etc.; has a cargo capacity of 450 pounds; and can be accessorized with ALPR, MDVR, trailers, and crowd control options.
Although T3Motion is best known for its ESVs, the company now sells a four-wheel vehicle. Designed primarily for parking and event enforcement, T3's CT Series Micro Car has a top speed of 35 mph and a range of up to 75 miles on lithium-polymer batteries. It charges in about eight hours.