Skoda is the latest car maker to offer electric vehicles to emergency services after the Czech brand this week revealed images of its Enyaq iV in police, ambulance and fire response liveries.
The battery-electric SUV will be able to give chase to criminals or respond to life-threatening situations with a 0-to-60mph acceleration time of 8.5 seconds – though its limited top speed of 99mph means getaway drivers will be able to outrun officers in most petrol and diesel cars.
The Skoda plug-in police car has been unveiled just a week after Tesla UK confirmed it was loaning Model 3 saloons to forces up and down the country to trial.
‘Are you going to come quietly?’ Skoda has revealed images of its electric Enyaq iV converted for emergency services, including the police
Skoda is one of the auto suppliers to the police and other emergency services in the UK.
But instead of petrol-powered Octavias and Kodiaq SUVs, the latest model to be made available is the Enyaq iV with blues and twos.
The manufacturer says it has been added to its existing blue-light fleet in two power variants offering a choice of 60 (62kWh) and 80 (82kWh) variants respectively.
Two-wheel drive versions are currently all that’s available, though all-wheel drive options will be added to the range at a later date – ideal for when pursuits go off-road.
Packing a fully-charged-battery range of 333 miles and the capacity to fast-charge up to 80 per cent in approximately 38 minutes, it should be a fairly suitable mode of transport for all three emergency services.
‘While such impressive figures will no-doubt appeal to blue-light services looking to ensure that their vehicles are always ready to perform, emergency service customers should be further enticed by the relative simplicity of the Enyaq iV’s platform and powertrain,’ Skoda explains.
‘The vast reduction in moving and perishable parts – for example, the single speed transmission – will allow for less frequent maintenance and servicing, increasing available operational time and improving fleet efficiency.’
The ambulance and fire service will be offered the electric Skoda SUVs. They will have functions, such as the radio and blues-and-twos, controlled via the touchscreen in the vehicle
The full emergency services conversion includes 360-degree lighting and a full integration of the necessary communication platforms within the car’s existing infotainment touchscreen.
This means all functionality – such as the lighting and sounding sirens – can be activated through one central accessible platform.
The Enyaq also offers luggage capacity of 585 litres – or up to 1,710 litres with the rear seats down.
That’s more than enough space to transport up to three perps in the back seats, store and transport vital life-saving emergency equipment such as oxygen tanks, ventilators and other essential equipment and even fit a cage system for a dog unit.
Metropolitan Police has been using electric cars in recent years, including the zero-emission BMW i3 pictured
Enyaq iV won’t be the first electric police car on UK roads…
The electric Skoda SUVs won’t be the first electric vehicles to be used by the police.
Gloucester Constabulary added no fewer than 75 battery-electric cars to its fleet a year ago, the majority of them being the UK-made Nissan Leaf.
Metropolitan Police also has a number of BMW i3s it uses in the capital along with 11 hydrogen fuel-cell Toyota Mirais.
And Teslas could soon be added to the growing list of electric emergency services vehicles.
Tesla UK confirmed to This is Money last week that it is supplying police liveried Model 3 to forces up and down the country as part of a new trial.
‘You have the right to remain silent’: This is Tesla’s new Model 3 police car that is being trialled by forces up and down the UK
And it won’t be just the police putting the plug-in vehicle to the test.
Rapid response emergency services, such as the fire brigade, will also have the opportunity to use the zero-emission car during the review.
‘Tesla is making this test car available for those forces, brigades and other agencies wanting to trial Model 3 as an emergency response vehicle,’ the auto maker told us.
‘Model 3’s performance allows for quick response in both urban and rural environments,’ Tesla said.
![The Model 3 Performance can hit 60mph in 3.1 seconds, has a top speed of 162mph and a full-battery [claimed] range of 352 miles](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/06/17/15/44348327-9697347-image-a-14_1623941158646.jpg)
The Model 3 Performance can hit 60mph in 3.1 seconds, has a top speed of 162mph and a full-battery [claimed] range of 352 miles
The version on offer looks to be the ‘Performance’ variant of the country’s most-bought electric car.
For members of the public, this iteration of the Model 3 would cost £59,990 (the ‘Standard Range Plus’ Model 3 starts from £40,990).
In this guise it will be able to accelerate from 0-to-60mph in 3.1 seconds and a limited top speed of 162mph – far outperforming the Skoda option.
The performance version also gets all-wheel-drive – just in case a pursuit goes off-road – and a WLTP-cycle range of up to 352 miles, which is again better than the Enyaq.
As with all Model S cars, it has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, meaning it should be able to protect officers in a high-speed shunt.
Tesla adds: ‘Model 3 can present savings over internal combustion engine vehicles with low maintenance requirements and industry leading efficiency.
‘The car will be trialled by fire brigades, medical rapid response and police forces in a variety of roles. The adaptations and livery were completed by industry supplier, Halls Electrical Ltd.’
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