The City of Repentigny and its police department (SPVR) proudly introduced Quebec’s very first electric police car capable of responding to emergency calls, a Ford Mustang Mach-E, at the annual conference of the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ). This largest meeting of the municipal community is the first event in a long series that will allow Repentigny and its collaborator, Cyberkar, to introduce this groundbreaking project to other cities, police departments and the general public both here and abroad. With its technological components that help protect the environment by reducing greenhouse gases, the future of this electric vehicle is promising.
“Interest in our electric patrol car is growing. We hope that this innovative and daring project can inspire other cities and police forces in Quebec and encourage them to gradually replace their fleet of vehicles with electric models,” said Repentigny mayor Nicolas Dufour. “I’m immensely proud of all the work accomplished by our teams in carrying out this unique project, which today positions Repentigny as the city with the most comprehensive eco-friendly solution in North America.”
Quebec Electric Vehicle Show
Following the UMQ’s annual conference, the car will be featured at the Quebec Electric Vehicle Show from May 13 to 15. This will be a unique opportunity to meet the team of experts who contributed to transforming the Mach-E into a patrol car and speak with them about the project and the modifications made to the original model.
New York City Fleet Show
The SPVR’s patrol car will then head to New York City, where it will be included in the NYC Fleet Show, a vehicle and equipment exhibition, on May 25 and 26. Showing the interest in the project and the technology developed here, talks had already begun last winter, namely with the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services in connection with their purchase of 184 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles.
Symposium of the Association des directeurs de police du Québec
At the end of May, all Quebec police service management teams will be able to discover the first electric patrol car at the symposium of the Association des directeurs de police du Québec. Participants will be able to see the completely revised ergonomics, achieved in collaboration with the Association paritaire pour la santé et la sécurité du travail, secteur affaires municipales (APSAM) to ensure increased safety and a better working environment for police staff.
“We want to use the innovative technology and expertise we have developed in this project with the SPVR to benefit other police services in Quebec. Through the showcase project that we announced last March, for which we obtained a grant from the Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation (MEI), they will be able to receive a modified Mach-E to try it out,” adds Jonathan Boivin, Business Development Manager at Cyberkar.
Unique collaboration with the École nationale de police du Québec
In addition to being featured at these events, the Mach-E patrol car will be part of a special collaboration with the École nationale de police du Québec (ENPQ). Exclusive training will be provided to teach students how to drive a 100% electric police vehicle.
Test phase
The vehicle will begin operating on the streets of Repentigny and Charlemagne, the territory served by the SPVR, on June 6. The six-month testing phase is aimed at collecting data on the vehicle’s general use in a real-life environment, including driving and battery efficiency during various police interventions, in a variety of conditions and during continuous use.
New visual identity
In addition to working closely to review the vehicle’s ergonomics, a joint committee, which included members of the patrol team, worked together to determine its new visual identity. The idea was to apply best practices for emergency service vehicles and adapt the design to the North American context. This was done by using contrasting colours such as yellow and blue, which is one of the most effective combinations, both in daylight and under headlights, and adding a reflective border around the edges of the vehicle.
The chosen visual includes components inspired by the Battenburg markings, a checkerboard design with alternating colours, and meets the objective of optimizing the visibility of the vehicle, whether it is stopped or moving, from a minimum distance of 500 metres. This will help to increase the safety of police staff and the public by reducing accidents.
