Reporter’s insider view into pros and cons of new electric patrol vehicle on trial by Geraldton Police

My curiosity was immediately sparked when I heard the news Geraldton police had got their hands on a new electric vehicle and would be trialling it as a patrol vehicle. So I jumped at the chance to take a ride in the new police e-car and see what all the fuss was about. Apart from a sole Uber ride in a Tesla, I hadn’t driven or ridden in an electric vehicle before, so I was keen to see how this Hyundai Ionig 5 would handle the rigours associated with being a police vehicle. Last week I went for a quick spin as a passenger to get the inside scoop after Geraldton was included in WA Police’s trial to use electric vehicles in their operational fleet. Although there are many benefits to electric cars, there are also flaws that should be considered. Their primary benefit is reducing the force’s carbon emissions. That must be weighed up against the added maintenance and efficiency of the car compared with a petrol-powered counterpart in emergency situations. My initial thought was “how do I open the door?”, but once I worked out how to use the handle I began to appreciate the minimalist features both outside and inside. It’s not the styling of a police car that’s important, rather its efficiency and performance. Acting officer-in-charge Sen. Sgt Jamie Boryczewski said the electric car could reach speeds of 100km/h between 5.7 and 7 seconds compared with a Holden Commodore, which can reach the same speed in 7-7.5 seconds. But the silence was sweet as the engine put out nearly no sound at all — a bonus for cops when they’re on duty. The maximum speed the car could reach in a high-speed chase is 185km/h and it accelerates from 80km/h to 120km/h in 3.4 seconds. When new, the fully charged car can drive a maximum range of 454km-507km, keeping in mind degradation could reduce its range by up to 30 per cent down the line. Although electric cars are the way of the future, I don’t believe police need to add additional duties to their operational schedules, like remembering to put the car on charge while dealing with an unruly passenger. I can’t imagine managing 30 electric vehicles parked at the station with half as many charging bays to ensure they’re plugged in and fully charged. It takes less than five minutes to fuel up a petrol car compared with 11 hours and 45 minutes charging the Ioniq 5 with an AC charger at 7kW. A 50kW fast charger could charge the car from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in 73 minutes, or you could do it in 18 minutes with a 350kW charger. The trial should determine whether the switch will save the force money or become a costly investment. For now, replacing all fuel-type vehicles at regional WA police stations would be impractical until charging bays become more common. Maybe stations could have one or two designated e-vehicles for around-town duties, but even then, who knows if the charger could default because of the warm summer heat or heavy rain?