Michigan City Adds Electric Police Vehicle to Fleet

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(TNS) — The newest vehicle in the Sterling Heights Police Department is already gaining public attention.

But the department’s new Chevrolet Blazer EV Police Pursuit Vehicle (PPV) is no gas guzzler. It runs on electricity, according to a news release.

“The public has already started taking notice,” interim Police Chief Ken Pappas said in the release. “While our officer was driving the vehicle back from an upfitter, a civilian stopped them and commented on how ‘sharp’ the vehicle looked and was surprised that it was 100% electric.”

According to city officials, the Chevy Blazer PPV is one of the first EV police pursuit vehicles to be placed in service in a local department in the state of Michigan. It is also the only purpose-built EV police package tested by the MSP for the 2025 model year.

A number of city officials joined General Motors representatives last week for the vehicle’s unveiling at the Sterling Heights Department of Public Works garage on 18 Mile Road.

The new EV vehicle is assigned to the command fleet and has been placed on patrol duties, officials said.

Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor called the move an “exciting step towards a more sustainable and cost-efficient future.”

“We are committed to leading the way in municipal sustainability, and this initiative underscores our dedication to our residents, our environment, and our economic viability,” he said.

Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor addresses the crowd at the DPW garage attending the unveiling of the city’s first Chevrolet Blazer EV police pursuit vehicle. (PROVIDED PHOTO)

It’s the latest addition to the Sterling Heights Electric Vehicle (EV) Fleet Pilot Program, an initiative aimed at ushering in a new era of sustainable and cost-effective municipal transportation. With a focus on reducing operational costs, carbon emissions, and maintenance expenditures, officials say the program is set to transform the city’s vehicle fleet, making it more environmentally friendly and economically sustainable.

The EV fleet pilot program was approved by Sterling Heights City Council in October 2023 and began rollout last spring.

As part of the program, the city is introducing of a variety of electric vehicles into the municipal fleet, including the PPV, light-duty trucks, an SUV and a sedan.

The initiative is designed to evaluate the practicality and efficiency of electric vehicles within a municipal context, with a specific emphasis on the benefits they can offer over traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles.

Michael Moore, the city DPW director, said Sterling Heights is already starting to see the benefits of an EV fleet.

Moore said employees who drive the existing four EVs, and all have been praised for their technology, smooth drive and compact yet roomy design.

“We are also starting to see comparable data for energy costs of EV vs. ICE vehicles, and early signs indicate we are experiencing a substantial cost savings per mile driven with the EV fleet,” he said. “We will continue to rotate the EV vehicles throughout the City, collecting data and feedback following the EV fleet’s first Michigan winter.”

In addition, the police department has compared the emissions from their previous ICE pursuit vehicle’s 2022 consumption data matched against the new EV Chevy Blazer and found a 72% reduction in emissions.

After a year in service, city administration will do a final evaluation of pilot program metrics across the entire EV fleet to determine whether EVs should be expanded across the city’s more than 200-vehicle fleet.