% ?r:112mi? Spec'd @ r:60mi and 112mpge % http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20130411/NEWS/304119994?p=2&tc=pg [image] Holly Hill police give electric car a spin By Chris Graham Apr 11 2013
[image / News-Journal / Nigel Cook http://www.news-journalonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DN&Date=20130411&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=304119994&Ref=AR Holly Hill Police Chief Mark Barker with the department's new electric vehicle Thursday, April 11, 2013 ] The Holly Hill police force's new all-electric vehicle may not be taking a big bite out of crime, but officials hope it sparks interest in green technology. "It's certainly a conversation starter," said Police Chief Mark Barker as he cruised down Riverside Drive Thursday in the city's 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV (an acronym for Mitsubishi's small car class known as “i” and Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle). The electric car is just one step in Holly Hill's quest to become one of the greenest cities in Volusia County. City commissioners soon will look at legalizing golf carts on many of the city's roads and may add an electric charging station in front of City Hall, Barker said. The city's electric car is believed to be the first of its kind being used by law enforcement across the county. "Literally, all we have to do is make sure the tires are inflated and the windshield wiper fluid is topped off," Barker said. Holly Hill leased the vehicle about a month ago from Daytona Mitsubishi at a rate of less than $150 a month. The vehicle seats four and can go up to 112 miles on a full charge, which can be achieved overnight, Barker said. The city saves an estimated $200 a month on fuel, oil changes and maintenance, city officials said. "From an economic standpoint, the benefits are obvious," Barker said. "All of this just makes sense." The chief on Thursday took the vehicle for a spin around town. When he turned the key in the ignition, the engine's rumble was noticeably absent, but the car packs a punch. Barker pushed the gas pedal and the car started to glide forward. "It's surprising how quiet the car is," he said. "You keep waiting (for the sound of the engine). It does have a stealth aspect to it." Powered by a lithium-ion battery, the small vehicle is mostly used for non-traditional police operations including patrolling city parks, Barker said. In some cases, it has been used to increase police presence in parts of the town. The graphics package on the vehicle, which promotes green technology, also catches a lot of peoples' attention, Barker added. Don't expect to see the electric vehicle involved in any high-speed chases, though, as the car tops out at 81 mph. Barker said he hopes to add more electric vehicles to the fleet, mainly for community policing and detective work. Few cities locally have invested in electric vehicles, though charging stations have been popping up all over Florida. In 2011, the city of DeLand purchased five Chevrolet Volt hybrids to add to its fleet. Thomas Caffrey, Internet sales manager for Daytona Mitsubishi, said he believes cities could benefit from purchasing all-electric vehicles like the i-MiEV or Nissan Leaf. "For any municipality, it decreases the cost of ownership," he said. So far, the dealership has sold about a half dozen i-MiEVs and leased about 50. Worldwide, more than 33,000 units have been sold with a starting price in the U.S. as low as about $21,000. Electric vehicles could be used as pursuit vehicles as the technology becomes more refined, Caffrey said. By contrast, the starting price for the Tesla Model S, capable of reaching speeds of up to 125 mph, is $62,700. "The power is definitely there," he said. [© 2013 News-JournalOnline.com All rights reserved] ... http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/jsp/imiev/12/specs.do?#engineering EPA Mileage Estimates Combined (MPGe)¹: 112 Range Combined (EPA 5-cycle, official): 62 miles ... http://www.plugincars.com/i-miev-range-comes-short-test-drives-49815.html For all EVLN posts use: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=evln&sort=date Here are today's archive-only EV posts: EVLN: Citroën Berlingo Electric Van @2013 CV Show r:170km ts:110kph EVLN: Vodafone smartphone M2M-empowers Mahindra e2o EV EVLN: Hollywood Electric backing e-motorcycle class @Pikes Peak EVLN: Polaris acquires Aixam, French EV & ice quadricycle maker + EVLN: Fabric Electricity supplies the grid > which charges the EV ... {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-21k-FL-police-spin-an-iMiev-tp4662562.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
