LAPD Gets A New Look With BMW Electric Cars
BMW has won its bid on an LAPD contract that would supply the force with 100 all-electric BMW i3 vehicles.
It was in 2015 when Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a commitment to convert the city’s vehicle fleet to electric vehicles.
Garcetti had said that several of the city’s department will lease or acquire hundreds of all-electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) vehicles with a significant number going to the police department (LAPD).
Though the cars won’t be used as emergency vehicles, they’ve already started hitting the streets of L.A. this spring. A BMW i3 with a 22 kWh pack can travel up to about 80 miles on a single charge. The upgraded 33 kWh battery pack can travel up to 114 miles.
Mayor Garcetti commented on the announcement, “We should be thinking green in everything we do — and these new EVs show how local government can lead. Our sustainability plan pushes L.A. to speed adoption of greener practices and technologies, which also save money and resources.”
Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO of BMW of North America, stated, “The attributes of the BMW i3 position it to excel as the ideal vehicle for municipal organizations. The performance and technical capabilities, such as the BMW i3 ‘s acceleration, and its ConnectedDrive integration, are perfectly suited to transform the future mobility of the Los Angeles Police Department while also reducing their carbon footprint.”