Police Cars Go Electric
Building a police car is tough. A modern police car needs to be able to take a lot of abuse, day in and day out, and accommodate officers travelling with and wearing a lot of gear. They haul around hundreds of pounds of electronic equipment and crime-fighting gear in their cargo areas. They spend many hours during the day idling, and also have to engage in high-speed pursuits, with heavy acceleration and braking. Until now, most police cars have been large gas-powered sedans and SUVs, with beefed-up six- or eight-cylinder engines to handle their heavy demands. But now, Chevrolet is offering an electric option.
Chevy Blazer EV: High-Performance Pursuit Vehicle
As more and more states and individual cities and towns implement zero-emissions targets and carbon-reduction strategies, Chevrolet says its all-new 2024 Blazer EV PPV (Police Pursuit Vehicle) can deliver the performance and capability police officers need – and do it without gasoline. The Blazer EV PPV is the company’s first pursuit-related all-electric vehicle in Chevrolet’s 60-year history of building cars for law enforcement.
Based off the high-performance Blazer EV SS model, which can blast to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds, the Blazer EV police version will have dual motors producing 557 hp and 648 lb-ft of torque, as well as standard all-wheel drive. The exceptional traction of the electric all-wheel drive setup and the incredible power output will make the Blazer EV PPV a formidable patrol car. Thanks to the weight of the 1,200-lb battery pack sitting low in the chassis and Brembo high-performance brakes, the Blazer EV PPV will stop and turn as well as it goes.
That giant battery pack, the largest GM Ultium battery that will fit in the Blazer, will support all of the pursuit vehicle’s electrical needs. The Blazer EV PPV has a wiring harness that includes added connectors to make it easy to “up-fit” the vehicle. In fact, there’s a dedicated electrical center and enough power on-board as standard to power lights, computers, and other electrical equipment. The Blazer EV PPV also provides all of the necessary signals needed for aftermarket modules to communicate with the vehicle.
Designed Specifically for Police Needs
Conventional gasoline-powered patrol cars spend a lot of their time idling, creating emissions from running the engine to support a law enforcement vehicle’s on-board systems. This is where the Blazer EV police car excels: it can provide all of the same capability with none of the emissions, without reducing capability. The Blazer EV PPV can tow light-duty items like radar trailers or haul a trailer hitch-mounted bike rack, even when fully laden.
Inside the police Blazer, specific front seats are designed to accommodate officers’ utility belts and wearable gear for greater seating comfort while on patrol. The steering wheel buttons are programmable to network with police department radios and emergency warning equipment, providing fingertip control and a “push to talk” function for improved safety. In the rear, the civilian Blazer EV’s false floor is gone, making more room for aftermarket cabinets and organizers. The rear-view mirror is actually a camera, allowing the driver a wider field of view to the rear when a prisoner partition is installed. Flooring is vinyl instead of carpet, the rear seats are vinyl, and the police-spec console is more commodious. A driver spot light is available, too.
On the Road in 2024: Chevy Blazer EV Police Car
Chevrolet has yet to announce final specifications, EPA-estimated range, and pricing for the Blazer EV PPV, production starts in the first quarter of 2024. Hopefully, the first one you see won’t be in your rear-view mirror, with its lights flashing.
