You've heard of the men in blue and the women in blue. But have you ever heard of a car in blue? You might not know it, but you most likely have. We're talking about patrol cars. And now, the eco-friendly Nissan LEAF is among the ranks, dedicated to protect and serve the public.
No, the Nissan LEAF might not be built for high-speed chases. We'll give you that. What they are good for, however, is arriving to the scene of a crime in "near silence."1
That's said; the fleet of eight Nissan LEAF EVs which now comprise Portugal's PSP will be used more often for the Safe School Program than sneaking up on criminals from behind. But, just in case, they are outfitted with all of the gadgets and gizmos you'd find in a traditional cruiser. And, to ensure, the fleet always has access to a full charge, Portugal is even going so far as to build out a comprehensive network of EV chargers, including Nissan Level II and Quick Chargers.
Speaking on the decision to enroll the Nissan LEAF onto their task force, Paul Gomes Valente, National Director, PSP says, "We pride ourselves in being the first police force in the world to incorporate cars with zero-emission technology as part of our 5,000 vehicle fleet. We want to continue contributing to the reduction in pollution in large urban centers and the introduction of the 100-percent Nissan LEAF sets a new benchmark for our fleet."2
Curious to see what municipality decides to add the LEAF to their ranks next?
Stay tuned. Yark Nissan located conveniently at 5957 West Central Ave Toledo, OH 43615 is dedicated to keeping you informed.
Sources: 1,2 http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/14/nissan-leaf-gets-badged-for-police-duty-in-portugal/