LAPD selects BMW i3 -- not Tesla Model S -- as its EV of choice
Southern California law enforcement just got a bit greener.
The Los Angeles Police Department awarded BMW with the contract to supply the department with 100 i3 electric vehicles. After testing several green cars, including the Tesla Model S (which it notably rejected), the LAPD decided on the German-brand compact EVs to serve as transportation vehicles for officers and in community outreach initiatives.
In a statement, BMW said that the LAPD chose the pint-sized i3 for its EPA-rated best-in-class efficiency, reliability and ConnectedDrive smart features. The number of easily accessible BMW i service centers and the price point also played into the department's decision.
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But BMW's willingness to integrate the LAPD's fleet management system into the i3 may have been an even more significant factor. According to BMW's statement, the company is "designing a web tool that will allow the department to track their fleet in near real-time" for improvements in deployment, utilization, and charging. The i3 has a per-charge range of 80 to 100 miles.
And for those who might say that American police officers should be driving American-made cars, the i3 is constructed from carbon fibers produced in a hydro-powered facility in Washington State.
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Topics Cars
