SINGAPORE – Singapore’s Traffic Police (TP) will introduce electric vehicles (EVs) into their highway patrol fleet starting in 2024, marking a significant step towards sustainable law enforcement. The TP has selected 19 Polestar 2 electric saloons to replace aging patrol vehicles, including models from BMW, Subaru, and Volvo. This initiative aligns with Singapore’s broader environmental goals, aiming to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles by 2040.
The Polestar 2, a Swedish-made EV, was chosen through a public tender initiated in October 2022 and concluded in January 2023. Wearnes Automotive, the local representative for Polestar, secured the contract with a bid of approximately S$3.8 million, which includes a 10-year maintenance program. Other contenders in the tender were Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, BYD’s Seal, and BMW’s i4 and iX1 models.
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The selected Polestar 2 variant features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and reaching a top speed of 205 km/h. Equipped with an 82kWh battery, it offers an estimated range of 470 km under typical driving conditions. These specifications surpass the tender’s minimum requirements, which called for a battery capacity of at least 60kWh and acceleration to 100 km/h within 8 seconds.
Before deployment, the new EVs will be outfitted with necessary police equipment and customized with the TP’s expressway patrol livery. Notably, these vehicles are exempt from taxes and do not require Certificates of Entitlement (COEs), reducing overall operational costs. This move is part of Singapore’s commitment to environmental sustainability, with plans to ban new combustion engine car registrations by 2030 and transition all vehicles to cleaner energy sources by 2040. The adoption of EVs by the TP reflects a growing global trend, with law enforcement agencies in cities like New York and London integrating electric vehicles into their fleets.
The introduction of the Polestar 2 into the TP’s fleet represents a significant milestone in Singapore’s journey towards greener transportation and law enforcement practices.
Source: thestraitstime.com
