Green Limerick: Gardaí get an electric boost with new EVs

THE CARBON footprint created by the Roads Policing Unit based at Henry Street garda station in Limerick city is set to decrease after the introduction of two hybrid electric vehicles (EV).

The vehicles are the first of their kind in Limerick and a larger rollout of hybrid and fully electric vehicles is expected throughout the county and country in the future.

The hybrid EVs at Henry Street involve one unmarked Hyundai Tucson and a marked Toyota RAV4.

Both vehicles don’t require charging as the battery is charged through regenerative braking and by the internal combustion engine - hybrid vehicles use fuel when they reach high speeds.

Sergeant Tony Miniter of the Roads Policing Unit at Henry Street garda station welcomed the introduction of the EVs. “Anything that brings down our carbon footprint has to be welcomed. Across the country, we do a huge amount of miles on a daily basis and anything that An Garda Síochána can do to decrease our carbon footprint is very much welcomed."

“There’s a lot of issues related to the logistics and bringing in fully electric vehicles but this is a huge step going forward in relation to our ultimate goal which will be obviously fully electric vehicles like with society itself,” Sgt Miniter said.

Sgt Miniter says the Limerick garda division is making good use of the two new vehicles.

“The first one we got was last year, it was the Toyota RAV4. It’s a 2.5-litre hybrid and there’s no need to plug it in. It’s fully marked and it’s just for high visibility policing throughout Limerick city and county to show the public that we are out and about and doing high visibility checkpoints.

“The second vehicle we only got in the last number of weeks is a Hyundai Tucson - it’s unmarked.

Sgt Miniter continued: “It gives us great stealth in catching people who are committing road traffic offences… It’s been well received by members of the public who see us out and about doing what we should be doing and catching people who are causing a danger on our roads.

“So the combination of those two hybrid EVs is a great addition to Limerick Divisional Road Policing Unit's' fleet,” Sgt Miniter added.

The two vehicles won’t be used any differently to other vehicles in the unit’s fleet as they are not full EVs and don’t require charging.

This means they can be used in the same fashion as the other vehicles in the division.