The first electric patrol car in Quebec will roll through the streets of Repentigny in the spring as part of a pilot project.
The test of the vehicle, which will last six months, should begin in April and will be used, among other things, to analyze the efficiency of the battery during various police interventions.
“It’s a springboard,” said Jean-Claude Roch, chief inspector for logistics at the Service de police de la Ville de Repentigny (SPVR). We have data to collect and it will then be shared with the entire police community in Quebec.”
About fifteen police officers will be assigned to the project.
Cyberkar, a Terrebonne company specializing in high-end technological solutions for emergency vehicles, the City of Repentigny and the SPVR are currently working on the conversion of a Ford Mustang Mach-E to make it meet the needs of patrol officers. The interior of the vehicle, in particular, must be modified.
“We build a vehicle from scratch,” added Mr. Roch. Our police will work with new equipment and we will look for data on that too.
It was therefore a major challenge for Cyberkar to tackle a project of this kind with all that this entails in terms of research and development.
“We had to redo parts that we normally don’t have to do,” said Jonathan Boivin, business development manager at Cyberkar.
He also explained to us to illustrate the challenge that “in an electric vehicle the battery is not necessarily made to recharge the auxiliary equipment”, whereas in a police vehicle it is necessary to ensure the supply of this auxiliary equipment.
The new electric patrol car will also have contrasting colors for better visibility. The idea of using a European-style checkerboard visual, also called Battenburg markings, while adapting it to the North American context, is on the table.
“If our vehicle is seen more, the road behavior around this vehicle will change, analyzes Mr. Roch. And if we are able to change the perception, it is the general behavior that we will adapt.
Cost
The City of Repentigny awarded a contract worth $134,520.75 last July to Cyberkar for preparatory studies related to the transformation and development of components.
“It’s a multi-year contract, but it’s difficult to say the overall cost of the vehicle,” explained Stéphanie Fortier, organizational performance advisor at the City, adding that grant applications have been made in order to reduce the invoice amount.