police

Electric bikes and scooters are usually framed as a cleaner, quieter solution to urban mobility. But in parts of Australia, police are now taking a far harsher stance on certain e-rideables – including seizing them and sending them straight to the crusher.

A video circulating on social media this morning has electric bike fans cheering and Homeland Security officers scratching their heads after a man who is reported to be a delivery rider appeared to evade a group of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Chicago using nothing more than some quick footwork and an e-bike.

Police in the UK have confiscated what they say is the fastest electric bicycle they’ve ever seen, suggesting it was capable of reaching speeds of 83.2 MPH.

It might sound counterintuitive since we often hear stories about fire departments being called out because of an e-bike. But firefighters in Scottsdale, Arizona, are now using e-bikes on emergency calls for a highly particular reason.

Police across the US are cracking down on illegal use of out-of-class e-bikes or non-street-legal electric motorcycles used on public roads. It used to be that if you sped off on an illegal electric dirt bike or mini bike after a traffic stop in California, there was a good chance you’d get away. Most police departments don’t want to engage in high-speed chases over these types of violations, especially if the rider isn’t wearing a helmet or is weaving through dense traffic. And since these types of bikes almost never have license plates, merely outrunning or outmaneuvering a police cruiser through some bushes or over a sidewalk was usually enough to evade justice. But lately, a new kind of chase is happening – from above.

LiveWire, the electric motorcycle brand spun out of Harley-Davidson, has officially launched a new line of electric motorcycles tailored for law enforcement and security use. The move marks another example of electric two-wheelers expanding beyond consumer markets and into professional and government fleets.

There is no state more associated with cars and car culture than Michigan – and the state that’s home to the Motor City has just taken a huge step into the future with the deployment of its first-ever all electric police vehicle.

As powerful electric motorbikes such as those from brands like Sur Ron and Talaria become more popular, especially with teens, police departments in the US are increasingly cracking down on their use on public roads.

The next time you run that stop sign and hear a siren click on behind you, the blue and red lights in your rear view mirror might look a bit different. But don’t let the bicycle helmet fool you, that ticket is going to sting just the same even if it comes from a police officer riding an e-bike instead of a motorcycle or police car.

Police departments have been flocking to two-wheeled electric vehicles over the last few years thanks to an influx of new models. Now the low-cost Kollter ES1 electric motorcycle is getting its first ever police use in the US.

Electric bicycles aren’t just for leisure or commuting, they also make great work tools for commercial applications. And more police departments are now waking up to the fact that light electric two-wheelers can be a huge advantage compared to typical police cruisers.

Electric motorcycles for police use is nothing new, and the more efficient two-wheelers solve a number of issues related to high fuel costs and improved routine maintenance. Now we’re getting a first look at a particular new model known as the CFMoto 300 GT-E that is destined for use by police in China.

… and they actually look fun enough that I’ve got a half a mind to enroll in my local police academy, if it comes with a standard-issue patrol trike. The Trikke Positron, which is the trike’s official name, is an all-wheel-drive standing electric scooter that very well could have criminals scratching their heads, at least if they weren’t already cuffed behind their backs.

Harley-Davidson’s motorcycles are frequently used for police motorcycles, though the latest bar-and-shield cop bike isn’t your typical Road King. Instead, Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire electric motorcycle is now getting the police treatment.

Any large public gathering is bound to draw a police presence to maintain safety and order. But at the COP26 climate summit currently underway in Scotland, the UK police are using a decidedly more environmentally appropriate form of patrol vehicle: Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire electric motorcycles.

The BMW CE 04 was first unveiled as a civilian model, but has now gotten the police cruiser treatment to enable its use by law enforcement agencies.

Times are tight all over the place as state budgets are being slashed. So if any police departments need an affordable alternative to a souped-up Dodge Charger or Ford Expedition, then this fun little electric police car might be just what the sheriff ordered. And if we don’t have any real boys in blue lining up for this fun cart, at least it’s got everything I need to make it the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week!

The motorcycle industry has always lagged behind the automotive industry, and while electric police cars are old news these days, many police departments and even military divisions are still learning the benefits of electric motorcycles for fleet duty.

Here are a number of interesting examples showing how electric motorcycles are helping police and militaries perform their work better, more quickly, and more sustainably.