Lean, Mean, and Green: The Carbon Motors E7 Police Cruiser
For a long, long time, police departments across the world have had to re-purpose production vehicles in order to get a police cruiser. Case in point is the ubiquitous Ford Crown Victoria, which must go through a series of alterations to get ready for police duty. Carbon Motors, a new company, has decided that just as fire departments have purpose-built fire engines, police departments should have purpose-built cruisers. And under the hood of the car, dubbed the E7, is a powerful, but efficient, diesel engine.
The engine is a twin-turbo inline six-cylinder diesel that puts out 300 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, allowing for a 0-to-60 mph time of 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. And, it gets 28 mpg city / 30 highway. Sounds good, right? Well, on top of that, the engine, chassis, and suspension have been designed for the long haul. A lot of police cruisers on the road today will have to be retired after 150,000 or so miles. Considering that many suburban and rural police cruisers can drive as much as 50,000 miles in one year, that can be a problem. The Carbon Motors E7 is designed for a 250,000 mile lifetime.
The handling of the vehicle also looks to be better than the typical police cruiser. The car’s weight is evenly distributed, 50% front, 50% rear, and its 4,000 pound weight rides on a sophisticated suspension system. And how the E7 uses that 4,000 pounds is what has a lot of members of the law enforcement community excited.
Looking through the E7 photo gallery
(link opens a new window), you can see that this isn’t your standard sedan. The rear doors open on rear hinges, rather than the standard sedan’s front hinges, in order to make loading a passenger into the back an easier process. The center console features an integrated computer system, the seats are designed for someone who may be wearing a lot of equipment (like a holster or a bullet-proof vest), there is onboard rear seat surveillance so you can keep an eye on suspects, an automatic license plate rcognition system, and the list goes on and on. The E7 was designed in consultation with some of the finest minds in law enforcement, and the final product definitely reflects that.
A lot of the members of the law enforcement community are impressed with the Carbon Motors E7, and the company has already received over 10,000 preorders for the vehicle, which is planned to hit the streets in 2012. Yes, that is a ways away, but for what the E7 offers, both in terms of fuel efficiency and green-credentials, as well as the benefits to law enforcement personnel, it’s definitely worth the wait.Resident Evil: Apocalypse movie full
