The vehicle was unveiled outside New Scotland Yard in December 2015. It has been thoroughly tested by MPS Fleet Services and approved for use by UK Police Forces. As such, it will be equipped with full emergency warning equipment but will not be fitted with a Mobile Data Terminal. Further evaluation and solutions will need to be considered for IT systems and equipment, to be progressed during testing according to standard procedure.
The Range Extender will be used by response policing teams across the boroughs of Westminster, Greenwich, and Bexley and is the first of its type to be used by a UK police service. In addition to standard testing, officers are being asked to report back on their experience of using the vehicle during regular patrolling duties. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Driving School is also testing the vehicle and providing expert advice on its potential use within the MPS fleet.
“The i3 is a brilliant fit with the technology-driven approach of the Met” said Terry Hunt, Director of Centrally Delivered Support Services in the Metropolitan Police. “As an organisation we are committed to keeping our carbon footprint as low as possible and innovative pilots such as this provide us with real-time experience of how that might be achieved.”
The BMW i3 Range Extender incorporates a rear-mounted, two-cyclinder, 647cc engine sourced from a scooter. This functions as an on-board power station in order to charge the floor-mounted 230 kg battery pack with the vehicle being driven by a 168 bhp electric motor. While the all-electric version of the i3 has a maximum range of 100 miles, the engine on the Range Extender allows the vehicle to extend its range to 186 miles following a full charge of the battery pack. In addition, the petrol engine permits shorter, 80-mile trips. The acceleration of the Range Extender is notably slower than the all-electric i3, although the top speed of 93 mph is unaffected.
The MPS is committed to evaluating appropriate vehicles that help to reduce its carbon footprint. The service does not yet have any other electric vehicles in its fleet, but intends to test vehicles for their suitability in the fleet as appropriate.
Image: MPS BMW i3 Range Extender
For additional information:
