New Zealand Police is rolling out a new electric vehicle to be trialled for operational needs over the next six months.

The BMW i4 has been selected for the initial trial, successfully meeting most performance requirements for an operational vehicle while fulfilling carbon reduction targets and fitting within existing project funding.

Road Policing has been identified as a suitable trial for operational use and the trial is initially limited to five vehicles.

If the trial is successful, it will create an opportunity for Police to consider future options EVs to transition into suitable areas of the fleet.

This trial is part of a wider fleet electrification project, introducing 45 electric vehicles into the New Zealand Police Fleet and the associated charging infrastructure. The expectation is this will reduce carbon emissions by around 176.1 tonnes annually.

This trial aligns New Zealand with global Policing innovations and modernises and transforms our fleet while seeking to meet our carbon reduction targets.

Work is also underway to identify practical ways to reduce fleet carbon emissions by analysing what the fleet comprises, how we use our vehicles and alternative means of travel.

In unveiling the trial vehicle in Auckland today, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the vehicle represented an important commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

“Police vehicles are fundamental to our ability to serve the public and provide safer communities across New Zealand. We are proud to take these new steps seeking to reduce transport-related emissions while keeping New Zealanders safe.”

This project is supported with $1.7 million in co-funding from the State Sector Decarbonisation Fund, administered by EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority).

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EV Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the performance specifications of the vehicle?

The vehicle will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. Battery range of up to 590km but dependent on how the vehicle is driven and its load – something which Police will be evaluating as part of the trial.

Drivers have undertaken specific EV driver training as it is the heaviest and highest performance car within the fleet.

An EV generates much more torque than an internal combustion vehicle which enables impressive acceleration manoeuvres and driving responsiveness. The additional weight and position of the electric battery means a low centre of gravity and excellent weight balance.

How long does the car take to charge?

The chargers installed at Police stations will charge the vehicle in around 2 hours. If charged at a hyper-charger, this could be completed in as little as 30 minutes. Public charging powers vary a lot so it can be difficult to predict how long the charging time would be in different environments.

Why BMW?

A range of Electric Vehicles were reviewed and tested and the BMW i4 met more of the requirements for an operational vehicle with the NZ Police.

The selected vehicle has one of the highest kilometre ranges of any EV currently available in New Zealand. The operational Police environment places huge demands on operation vehicles in our fleet. The combined weight of equipment and people carried, along with urgent duty driving, places a higher-than-normal drain on a vehicle’s energy source.

The trial looks at how an EV contributes to our operational needs. If successful, we intend to approach the market formally for suitable EVs to transition into our operational fleet.

What does the trial look like?

Over the next six months, a fully operational EV is being trialled to test the vehicle's full potential and looks at how EVs can be successfully introduced into our wider fleet.

The operational trial will start with Road Policing as these vehicles are generally used by single drivers, sticking to mostly highway travel and consistent routes that should not be affected by range limitations. They also work in shifts, allowing for the required charge time.

What happens if the EV runs of battery?

The selected vehicle has one of the highest kilometre ranges of any EV currently available in New Zealand. This, combined with installing high-speed chargers at various NZ Police locations and the ability to utilise nearby public charging infrastructure, maintains the confidence it fits the requirements of a typical shift.

Starting as a small trial of five vehicles, we will slowly expand once there is increased confidence around the EV’s suitability as an operational vehicle.

The initial trial, conducted with Road Policing, enables periods of charging in-between the shifts of officers, ensuring their vehicle use isn’t inhibited by battery limitations.

Have hybrids been considered?

The Government implemented an ‘electric vehicles first’ policy for all government fleets to accelerate the transition to low-emissions vehicles.

Over recent months, a plug-in hybrid has also been successfully tested in various operational settings and has been formally deployed since mid-2022.

You can find out more information on our PHEVs here: https://www.police.govt.nz/news/ten-one-magazine/frontline-hybrid

If the trial is successful what are the next steps?

If the trial is successful, it will provide a pathway forward for further adoption of future EV trials within the fleet in various roles. NZ Police will approach the market more formally for suitable EVs depending on what the user requirements are.

What happens to the vehicles if the trial is unsuccessful?

As part of the Carbon Neutral Government Programme, EECA has requested if the operational vehicle trial is unsuccessful, the vehicle continues to be used elsewhere in the NZ Police fleet or sold into the used vehicle market. The car should not be left unused or in storage, where its benefits cannot be realised.

If the trial is unsuccessful, it will generate learnings for NZ Police to consider when sourcing EVs in the future as they continue to improve in their performance.

NZ Police remain conscious that new EV vehicle technology is evolving rapidly and continuously being released onto the NZ market. This will allow more opportunities in the future to test, evaluate and deploy new EV products into the fleet.

What are other countries around the world doing in this space?

Many Police forces across Europe (specifically, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy) have been using small numbers of electric vehicles in their operational fleet. There are also small trials happening in various Australian States.

As well as New Zealand, the UK, Spain and Belgium also have BMW i4 EVs operating in their operation police fleets.

NZ Police is taking a similar approach by starting with a small, well-considered, trial to obtain learnings and better understand the technology before EV’s are more widely implemented.

This trial aligns New Zealand with global Policing innovations and modernises and transforms our fleet while seeking to meet our carbon reduction targets.

How does this align with the Carbon Neutral Government programme?

NZ Police is committed to reducing the emissions of our fleet and supporting New Zealand’s Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Act while maintaining our role to protect New Zealanders.

This trial is one of many meaningful steps we are taking to decarbonise the largest light fleet in the New Zealand government.

One challenge NZ Police faces is our light vehicle fleet contributes around 40 per cent of the organisation’s emissions; we also account for approximately 20 per cent of all-of-Government’s light fleet.

This is an obvious area to focus on reduction efforts. It is also one of the most challenging because the vehicles are not simply methods of conveyance, they are our capability. This trial is one of many meaningful steps we are taking to decarbonise the largest light fleet in the New Zealand government.

As part of our commitment to the Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP), when we purchase an EV, another vehicle is removed from the fleet to prevent an unnecessary increase. At times this requires a review, for example, if there has been an increase in our staffing, there will be a need for further operational vehicles to meet service delivery requirements.

How is the trial funded?

This trial is part of a wider fleet electrification project, which introduces 45 electric vehicles into the NZ Police Fleet, along with the associated charging infrastructure. It is expected this will reduce carbon emissions by around 176.1 tonnes annually.

The project is supported with $1.7 million in co-funding from the State Sector Decarbonisation Fund, administered by EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority)

The i4 has been de-specified, removing many consumer features, not required for an operational police car. This means the vehicle fits within the available project funding.

The trial delivers long-term cost savings but has involved a higher initial investment as charging infrastructure requires installation at NZ Police sites.

Where will the trial be conducted?

The first vehicle will be trialled in the Waikato, and then deployed to Counties Manukau, Central Districts, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The spread of geographical locations will allow us to test a range of variables (such as topography, weather, driving conditions etc).

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