Mean and green: We take a closer look at the Traffic Police's first electric patrol car

The Traffic Police (TP) will have a new car patrolling our expressways later this year, and for the first time, it will be fully electric.

A total of 19 units of the new Polestar 2 electric vehicle (EV) will be deployed to augment TP's existing fleet of patrol cars, and they will be progressively introduced from the second half of 2025.

AsiaOne was invited to the TP headquarters for a preview of the new Polestar 2 expressway patrol car, and here's the lowdown on their first EV.

Optimised for duty

The Polestar 2 patrol car has been outfitted with an all-round emergency light bar incorporating low-tone frequency systems to enhance visibility and safety, as well as an external message board to enable officers to communicate warnings and messages to other road users.

The car is also equipped with run-flat tyres that allow it to operate for up to 80km even after a puncture.

The all-wheel-drive system ensures that the car remains stable in its handling across all weather conditions.

Inside, the car comes fitted with advanced communications and surveillance systems, including Automated Number Plate Recognition technology and an In-Vehicle Video Recording System with live-streaming for enhanced operational capabilities.

The seats have also been customised to accommodate the officers' operational kits, while there is a centre partition to separate the person-in-custody section at the rear from the officers in front.

Fast in every way

The specific version of the Polestar 2 that TP are getting is the Long Range Dual Motor variant, and in this configuration, it can go from 0-100km/h in just 4.5 seconds, allowing TP to respond timely to emergency situations.

Officers don't have to worry about long downtime too, as the Polestar 2 can also charge up fast. According to Polestar's website, the car's battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in 28 minutes using 205kW DC rapid charging.

With a 120kW fast charger, which is more commonly found in Singapore, the charging time is estimated to be slightly longer but still reasonable at 30 to 40 minutes.

The car has a range of 590km with a fully-charged battery, which is roughly equivalent to a distance of six times around Singapore, measured using an estimated loop of the major expressways.

TP confirmed that each car will be fully charged before heading out for its duty shift, and the cars will be stress-tested before service deployment to ensure that they will be able to stand up to the rigours of patrolling work.

Commander of TP, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Daniel Tan, said: "The introduction of electric patrol vehicles marks a significant milestone in Traffic Police's operational capabilities and our commitment to sustainability. This transition aligns with the Singapore Green Plan 2030 while maintaining our high standards of enforcement and emergency response."

ben.chia@asiaone.com

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