All-Electric Police Car Introduced in Connellsville, PA

The City of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, has introduced the nation's first all-electric police vehicle. The 2000 Chevy Impala was stripped of its combustion engine to make room for an all-electric conversion, making the cruiser a quiet ride compared to its V8-powered, gasoline-fueled counterparts.

The streets of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, will now be patrolled by an all-electric police cruiser. Credit: autodeadline.com

The Impala cruiser is expected to run for eight hours with a two-hour charge from a 240-volt outlet, the same outlet that powers many household appliances. The Impala can also be charged using a 110-volt outlet for four hours. The all-electric conversion also eliminates much of the regular maintenance needed for conventional vehicles. Maintenance is limited to brakes, rotors, and tires. The cruiser's batteries are expected to have a five-year lifespan.

The new all-electric police cruiser comes to Connellsville through the efforts of city officials, United First Responders LLC which converted the Chevy Impala, and Coherent Systems International Corp which designed the conversion. Representatives of Coherent Systems International Corp said the converted cruiser will cost about 35 cents to run on an eight-hour shift compared to the $3-4 cost of running a gasoline-fueled vehicle.

The Advanced Communications Division of Coherent Systems International Corp will monitor the car for the next two years and plans to develop similar vehicles. As Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has created an extensive strategy to decrease the State's dependence on foreign oil supply, Coherent Systems is working with other state agencies.