West Shore RCMP debuts electric police vehicle

West Shore

2023-02-07 08:30 PST

This week, the West Shore RCMP unveiled its first electric police vehicle, a Tesla Model Y. It has been equipped to meet policing standards and will be used by frontline officers to respond to calls for service. The West Shore RCMP requested the vehicle last year as part of a commitment to reduce the RCMP’s carbon footprint and to comply with the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act.

This is the first ever fully-electric RCMP police vehicle and we’re proud to be piloting it here in the West Shore detachment. Our geography and mild winter weather make this an ideal test environment. We’re also expecting to test two more electric vehicles in 2023, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Ford F-150. Adopting electric vehicles into our fleet demonstrates the RCMP’s stewardship and commitment to innovation in policing, said Todd Preston, Superintendent in Charge of the West Shore RCMP.

 Photo of Model Y Tesla RCMP Vehicle

Using electric vehicles in policing is not a one size fits all approach because they are not suitable for most RCMP detachments. As Canada’s national police service, the RCMP works in diverse landscapes, including rural Northern communities. Testing the performance of electric vehicles in BC’s West Shore detachment will help us determine how and where electric vehicles are best suited to enhance our current fleet.

The West Shore RCMP provides 24-hour policing, so our vehicles are in constant use, said Superintendent Preston. In 2020, the average general duty West Shore police vehicle cost approximately $11,100 in fuel and maintenance fees. Since then, costs have gone up due to soaring fuel prices and inflation. We predict the cost of charging and maintaining an electric vehicle will be significantly lower than the cost of maintaining a gas-powered vehicle. Since a single gas-powered vehicle emits approximately 2.3 kilograms of CO2 per litre of gas, the positive environmental impact of replacing internal combustion engine vehicles with electric vehicles is also significant.

Information on the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act.

Released by

Cpl. Nancy Saggar

Media Relations Officer
West Shore RCMP
698 Atkins Avenue, Victoria, BC V9B 3A4
Office: 250-474-2264
Fax: 250-474-8790

Email: westshore_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: westshore.rcmp-grc.gc.ca (English only)

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