West Mercia Police charges ahead with electrification of force's cars
The force that polices Shropshire has had a big boost in the number of electric cars being used.
West Mercia Police has increased its number of electric vehicles by 35 - powered by funding from Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion.
Mr Campion said by replacing diesel models, the electric vehicles (EVs) will deliver £30,000 in annual savings, improve reliability, and significantly reduce emissions by 80 tonnes of CO₂ annually or the equivalent of over 360,000 miles of driving.
They will also enable policing teams, who support the efforts of frontline police officers, to effectively serve local communities.
The new electric vehicles takes the total number of EV's employed by the force's fleet to 55.
PCC John Campion said: “With the financial pressures facing West Mercia Police, it’s important we are doing all we can to drive greater value for money.
“By moving away from expensive diesel vehicles to cheaper and more reliable electric vehicles, West Mercia Police will continue to deliver a service communities expect, whilst reducing costs and carbon emissions.”
Chief Constable Richard Cooper said: “I welcome this investment from the PCC which provides fit-for-purpose vehicles for our teams to use whilst being environmentally responsible and delivering an overall saving.”
As part of the force’s journey to reaching Net Zero by 2050, a shared commitment between the PCC and the force, around 200 diesel vehicles have already been replaced by petrol and petrol-hybrid alternatives since July 2024.
