I live in Durham, where the ELF is built. The ELF is a pedal-and-electric-powered reverse tricycle with an egg-shaped body and a solar panel roof. It is certainly unique. A 360-degree view is available here. Organic Transit, the company that builds the ELF, states that it “gets the equivalent of 1800 m.p.g.” What does this have to do with criminal law? Well, the company recently introduced the Tactical ELF, designed to “give[] [law enforcement agencies] the tactical advantage for community policing.” An endorsement from Duke’s campus police comments that “It’s like a small patrol car.” I doubt that the ELF is going to be a mainstream law enforcement vehicle anytime soon, but it did get me thinking about the fuel efficiency of law enforcement vehicles generally. This post summarizes what I learned. The Crown Vic is a gas guzzler. Historically the most popular law enforcement vehicle has been the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, last produced in 2011 and still in use in many agencies. The 2011 model is EPA rated for 16 m.p.g. in city driving, but due to the large amount of idling inherent to police use, many agencies see more like 6 to 8 m.p.g. More recent options aren’t much better. Whether you’re concerned about government spending, climate change, or dependence on foreign oil, 6 to 8 m.p.g. isn’t too good. Yet despite occasional claims that newer police vehicles are designed for fuel economy, the current top sellers are not much different from the Crown Vic: The best-selling [...]
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