SINGAPORE: Nineteen electric vehicles (EVs) will soon hit Singapore's expressways for patrol duties from the second half of 2025, as part of the Traffic Police's (TP) move towards sustainability.

The Polestar 2 cars from the Swedish electric automaker of the same name will complement TP's existing fleet of patrol cars and will be rolled out progressively, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Sunday (Apr 13). 

Polestar is a sub-brand under Chinese automotive giant Geely Holding. 

According to media reports in November 2023, the winning bid in a public tender was around S$3.8 million (US$2.9 million) and this included a car maintenance programme for more than 10 years.

These are the first EVs in the SPF, the police told reporters on Thursday as the new car was presented. They are the first Home Team department to operationalise electric vehicles.

The Polestar 2 cars will be used primarily to patrol the expressways to tend to accidents, assist distressed drivers and take enforcement against errant motorists. But they can be deployed on other roads as well if the need arises. 

FEATURES OF THE NEW PATROL CARS

The EVs are equipped with dual motors that deliver "responsive acceleration", assisting officers to respond timely to emergencies, the SPF said in a media fact sheet. 

Its all-wheel drive system and regenerative braking - a system that allows EVs to recover energy lost as heat during braking -  also allow for stable handling during various weather conditions.

According to the car maker's website, Polestar 2 models with dual motors typically reach up to 100kmh in under five seconds, and have a range of up to 596km based on a global driving cycle standard known as the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure. 

The EVs that will be used by TP have been modified to cater to police operational needs.

SPF said on Sunday that the cars will be operational in the second half of 2025 and progressively deployed in batches later in the year, once all the equipment is installed and officers have completed familiarisation training.

Some new features include a centre partition between the front and back seats, where people in custody are held, and run-flat tyres that can operate up to a distance of 80km after punctures.

The patrol cars also come with advanced communication and surveillance systems, including automated number plate recognition technology and an in-vehicle recording system that can be livestreamed - similar to the SPF's new fast response car. 

External message boards are also installed on top of the vehicles to allow officers to communicate warnings to road users.  

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sam Tai said the new cars mark a "significant milestone" in TP's operational capabilities and commitment to sustainability.

"Equipped with advanced technology features and green technology, these vehicles strengthen our ability to keep our road users safe while supporting a cleaner future," said ASP Tai, who is the deputy officer-in-charge of TP's special operations team.

Director of platform systems at the Home Team Science & Technology Agency (HTX), Tan Teck Chuan, said it was an "exciting journey" for the statutory board to leverage technology to enhance the Home Team’s operational efficiency and safety.  

He added that the addition of electric cars marks the start of the Ministry of Home Affairs' "electrification effort" of its vehicles.