Hybrids pride of police fleet
Watch your speed and permits on the new Tung Chung-Cheung Sha Road because we saw a Mercedes-Benz vanful of Lantau officers crowded around a speedgun-like object, the other day. Limit enforcement seems similarly tight in Sha Tin, where, if you are lucky, you might spot a police Prius hybrid (above) pulling over a gas-guzzling fastie. Hybrids are worth a closer look. Our police have driven them since March 2005 and now have 94 in operation. 'All are Toyota Prius,' the force says. The police Priuses need extra power for lights, radios and sirens, however.
'Police are accustomed to using an auxiliary battery with an integrated split-charging system to power emergency lights and other auxiliaries,' the force says. 'Given the obvious battery power and sophistication of a hybrid vehicle, it is not strictly necessary to introduce an extra battery and the force is looking at better solutions with the manufacturer.'
The squared livery and lights make a geeky Prius look Robocop smart in the rear-view mirror of a speedster. 'The chequered design is internationally known as Battenburg livery,' the force says. 'It is proven to provide enhanced conspicuity for high-profile highway patrol vehicles. The graphics were adopted for the Prius in the summer of 2008 after a trial on traffic patrol cars [such as] the Volkswagen Passat in 2007.'
The force says it has also expanded its trial of the electric Vectrix Maxi Scooter that impressed our tester last year and that it has 10 in operation with frontline commands. The sleek but costly bike is fitted with emergency lights and a siren without the need for an extra battery, officers say.
'While officers have mixed feelings about the bikes, the results to date are encouraging and bode well for increased use of electric vehicles for logistics work,' the force says.