A fully outfitted VIPD Ford Mustang Mach-E electric patrol vehicle is shown roadside, marking the first deployment of all-electric police units in the Government of the Virgin Islands fleet. Photo Credit: V.I. ENERGY OFFICE.
Five fully electric Ford Mustang Mach-E patrol vehicles are entering active service with the Virgin Islands Police Department, marking the first deployment of fully outfitted all-electric law-enforcement vehicles in the Government of the Virgin Islands fleet.
The vehicles will be distributed across all three islands, with two assigned to St. Croix, two to St. Thomas and one to St. John, according to the Virgin Islands Energy Office. The agency announced the deployment Tuesday as part of the government’s broader effort to electrify its vehicle fleet.
The five vehicles were purchased using a federal grant secured by the Energy Office through the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Energizing Insular Communities Program. Metro Motors coordinated the local procurement and specialized upfitting process, while Dana Safety Supply outfitted the vehicles with equipment required for police use.
The Energy Office did not disclose the total cost of purchasing and outfitting the five police vehicles, nor did it provide projected fuel and maintenance savings associated specifically with their use.
The federal Energizing Insular Communities program provides funding to U.S. territories for energy projects intended to reduce electricity costs and dependence on imported fuels. The Department of the Interior has supported the Virgin Islands’ transition to electric government vehicles through multiple rounds of the program. In fiscal year 2021, for example, Interior awarded the V.I. Energy Office $1.154 million for a Government Operations Fleet Electrification and Energy Efficient Transition project.
The Energy Office said more than 60 electric vehicles have been supported across the GVI fleet using federal funding under the Bryan administration, including passenger vehicles, pickup trucks, transit vehicles and now active-duty police units.
The transition also requires local capacity to maintain the vehicles. Through a separate Energy Office subgrant, Metro Motors is expanding its electric-vehicle servicing and repair capabilities in the territory. Ahead of the police deployment, Metro Motors also held a familiarization workshop for VIPD officers and mechanics covering operation of the Mach-E platform and its major vehicle systems.
Energy Office Director Kyle Fleming described the police deployment as significant because patrol units are among the government’s more heavily utilized vehicles.
“Patrol vehicles are highly utilized, mission-critical assets,” Mr. Fleming said.
Governor Albert Bryan Jr. said incorporating electric vehicles into active police service is part of the administration’s strategy to modernize government operations while reducing the territory’s dependence on imported petroleum. The administration has coupled fleet electrification with investments in charging infrastructure, battery storage and renewable-energy generation.
The five Mach-Es represent a relatively small portion of VIPD’s overall vehicle fleet, but their introduction will provide the government with its first opportunity to evaluate fully electric vehicles under the more demanding conditions of active police patrol operations.
The Energy Office did not provide information on expected daily driving range, charging locations for each of the five vehicles, charging procedures during extended power outages or hurricanes, or how their operating and maintenance costs will be compared with VIPD’s conventional gasoline-powered patrol units.
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