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Vegas police "go green" with electric scooters
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
It might look like a regular motorcycle, but it sounds like a Toyota Prius.
The Metropolitan Police Department unveiled seven electric motorcycles Tuesday at its Convention Center Area Command. The motorcycles were donated by the Consumer Electronics Association to help police "go green."
They are nearly silent and have a top speed of 62 mph. Police said officers have pushed them to 65 mph.
The motorcycles are not intended for high-speed chases but will be used where they're most effective: the Strip, one of the most congested areas in the valley. Officers already use bicycles there.
"They're very crowd-maneuverable; quiet, and small," said officer Michael Loving, a training coordinator for the new fleet. "You can get on the sidewalks before anyone even knows you're there, and you won't be knocking people down."
The motorcycles are completely electric, with zero emissions. They have a range of 35 to 55 miles on a single charge and can be plugged into a standard outlet. The motorcycles, made by Vectrix Electronics, are marketed mainly to law enforcement agencies and sell for about $10,000 each.
Loving said the 500-pound machines recently were introduced into patrol. None of them has died on a shift, mostly because of a regenerative braking function: When an officer hits the brakes, the battery charges.
If plugged in during a lunch break, they are usually back to 100 percent before the hour is over, Loving said.
From zero battery, a motorcycle takes six hours to regain its charge, he said.
There are 10 officers who have taken the two-week training course to use them. They handle differently than traditional motorcycles.
"It takes a completely different riding set and style," he said. "It sits low, and there's a balancing dynamic. You'll get officers who try this out who are really surprised about how they handle."
Gary Shapiro, CEO and president of the Consumer Electronics Association, said the $50,000 donation went to a good cause.
"We want to be green for the Las Vegas community," he said. "We're thrilled to see the results."
Contact reporter Mike Blasky at mblasky@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283.
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@missingVegas, just google it and you'll see them, unless your Jewish then you would use Jewgle.
Sounds perfect for patroling the Strip. A picture with the story would have been nice.
@ t.o.a.t.b.s. Obviously you are blind to reality nothing is ever free.
They will have to lay off the donuts.. cause electric power isn't as powerful as gas driven.
alwaysright, second paragraph, donated by the consumer electronics assoc.
WOW!! must be nice to have all this money is a budget crisis, to spend it on electric scooters.
This is a pictutre of the scooter.
http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/blogs/vectrix-electronics-introduces-its-latest-green-machine
@UpAndOver- No, there is still plenty of putrid gas from Sharron and the Teabaggers for that!
NOTHING IS FREE!!!!! If they need fixing or maitenance it will cost money, and then we'll buy more. GREEN COST ALOT OF GREEN!!!!!
@Bill, Markey, and all the rest of you dimwits who can't think past the word "free"...... Two weeks of training to teach TEN.. count em..TEN goon-squad jarheads at Metro on how to ride a scooter? (Yeah, bet that was grueling training) I'm sure Metro had to form a new "scooter-patrol" department, complete with a new "scooter-patrol" department head. Probably special "scooter-patrol" uniforms, "scooter-patrol" patches, and "scooter-patrol" coffee mugs and bumper stickers, "scooter-patrol" media packages (like this one they fed to the RJ) not to mention replacement batteries, tires, chargers, maintenance,etc. etc. etc. I wouldn't even be surprised if Metro doesn't build a new "scooter-patrol" building and garage somewhere, (which due to the range of these things will have to be on the strip somewhere) These "free" scooters will end up costing the taxpayers plenty. Plus, 35-55 miles on a tankful of power? Wow!... no wonder they have to give them away, no one would buy them that's for sure. Works fine if all you want to patrol is the end Metro parking lot and back.