Law enforcement associations advocate for wider spread of charging facilities' development.
Loosening the Handbreaks on Electric Patrol Cars
Here's the scoop on the beef police unions in Baden-Württemberg have been cooking about electric vehicles. They're demanding a beefed-up charging infrastructure before more cop cars go green.
Thomas Mohr, deputy head honcho of the Police Trade Union (GdP), spilled the beans to the German Press Agency (dpa) about the issue. Basically, without charging points at police stations and with limited driving range, electric vehicles aren't cut out for the beating pace of shifts. As it stands, patrol units are saddled with public charging stations, with the drawbacks that come with it, like long waits and occupied stations.
Mohr wasn't the only one hankering for some fast charging action. Ralf Kusterer, state big boss of the German Police Trade Union (DPolG), weighed in, urging the installation of rapid chargers. The police shouldn't be plugging their patrol cars into public outlets, he barked.
Closing In, But Not Close Enough
The Interior Ministry should be keeping its ear to the ground when purchasing cars and listening up to both officers and mechanics. According to Kusterer, some cars just don't make the cut and some tires have worn out faster than you can say "police pursuit."
The first all-electric police vehicles were bought by the Interior Ministry back in 2011. Test drives were the name of the game for various models since then. Almost all stations in the state have been cruising one of the 136 battery-powered service cars for approximately half a year, racking up a total of two million kilometers, or about 50 trips around the Earth.
Now, Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) is set to weigh in on the situation in Rastatt.
Deployment Mishaps
Unions like GdP and DPolG are down for electric mobility from an environmental standpoint, and it's a fine choice for city driving or office work. But when it comes to shift duty, immediate response, or long hauls, they're not sold yet. Both have reported incidents where deployments were delayed or nixed because of insufficient battery life.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:250617-930-678935/1
A Closer Look:
The Baden-Württemberg police unions are up in arms about the limited charging infrastructure for their electric vehicles. They want more juice stations set up before more cars get powered up.
The emphasis on electric vehicles in policing ties in with the broader push towards the adoption of electric cars in Germany, which includes incentives and infrastructure development. Regional projects may come into play as well, influencing the pace or specifics of charging infrastructure developments.
For detailed updates, check local news sources or official announcements from Baden-Württemberg authorities about their plans for police electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
- The Baden-Württemberg police unions are advocating for the installation of more juice stations to support the charging needs of their electric patrol cars.
- As the Baden-Württemberg authorities consider the adoption of electric vehicles for their police fleet, they should also focus on implementing advanced technology like rapid charging stations to ensure efficient patrol services.
