Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Michigan State Police announces its first battery electric vehicle to be used on patrol starting Monday.

According to a press release, the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E is assigned to MSP’s State Security Operations Section to be used by state properties security officers, who are armed, uniformed members of the MSP who specialize in general law enforcement and security services at state-owned and leased facilities in the Lansing area.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to research, in real time, how a battery electric vehicle performs on patrol,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP.

“Our state properties security officers patrol a substantially smaller number of miles per day than our troopers and motor carrier officers, within city limits and at lower speeds, coupled with the availability of charging infrastructure in downtown Lansing, making this the ideal environment to test the capabilities of a police-package battery electric vehicle.”

The MSP’s Precision Driving Unit is nationally renowned for its annual Police Vehicle Evaluation, in which they test and evaluate police vehicles from various manufacturers to include alternative fuel vehicles. The data is compiled and published for use by police fleet managers and purchasing agents nationwide.

“We began testing battery electric vehicles in 2022, but up until now hybrids were the only alternative fuel vehicle in our fleet,” said Lt. Nicholas Darlington, commander of the Precision Driving Unit.

“Adding this battery electric vehicle to our patrol fleet will allow us to study the vehicle’s performance long-term to determine if there is a potential for cost savings and broader applicability within our fleet.”