Lucid confirmed off a brand new variant of its Air sedan on X (previously Twitter) this week. It is a police interceptor that the California Freeway Patrol is purportedly testing for its suitability as a cop automobile. Whereas particulars are scarce—the corporate solely made one tweet in regards to the automobile—there is a handful of issues we will glean from the photographs.
The Air (whose trim degree just isn’t famous) has a lightweight bar and a strong (not glass) roof. It additionally seems to trip on a big set of steelies; The smallest wheels obtainable for the usual Air are 19 inches, so these are possible the identical. Different modifications embody a bullbar with a entrance speaker and side-marker coloured lights.
The automobile would not seem to have an inside cage or barred divider for rear (arrested) occupants, and a shot of the automobile on California Freeway Patrol’s Fleet Operations Fb web page would not present any adjustments to the frunk, inside, or dashboard. So if it’s going to be a cop automobile, that is nonetheless an early variant (or, extra possible, a ticket-first, publicity-heavy car akin to the ’90s CHP Camaros and Fox Physique Mustangs).
This is not the primary time California has tried out electrical cop automobiles, although. A number of departments have bought fleets of Teslas and fitted them for patrol responsibility, though many have been disenchanted with the inside house and low trip peak. Ford produces police variants of the Mustang Mach E and F-150 Lightning and Chevy has proven off a pursuit model of the Blazer EV, so EV police automobiles aren’t fairly new.
Certainly, this would not even be the primary Lucid in police service. On the World Protection Present in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Lucid unveiled a special police automobile that the Saudi Arabian authorities built-in into its fleet (full with a flashy unveil video and roof-mounted drone). Redditors have even noticed regular fleet Airs in police livery across the nation.
Photograph by: Lucid Motors
The Air, irrespective of which trim degree, has a few of the longest vary (and longest rear legroom) of any EV presently in the marketplace, so it makes some sense for police departments to research. It begins at roughly $70,000 for the most cost effective Pure trim, which is rather a lot for a cop automobile… till you notice the 184 Mach-E Mustangs that the NYPD purchased on the finish of 2021 labored out to roughly $63,000 a pop. Whereas gas-powered cop automobiles just like the Explorer PPV typically price someplace between $40,000 and $50,000, EVs have considerably decrease operational prices in police use as a result of cops spend numerous time idling. The long-run financial savings would possibly make EVs break even for many departments.
Plus, with police funding on the rise and a few departments (similar to my house state) permitting for extra frequent car pursuits, 400+ horsepower, sub-4-second 0-60 cop automobiles make a sure form of sense. Maybe an Air Sapphire will not be too far sooner or later, after which Individuals can lastly make the chases from the Want For Pace video video games of our childhoods a actuality.
