LAPD Eyes Electric Motorcycles

Just about everyone is going green these days, and the LAPD is no exception.

The department is currently working with Scotts Valley-based Zero Motorcycles and is weighing whether to add a few new bikes to its fleet.

The company is already partnered with other law enforcement agencies throughout the state, and feels the LAPD could benefit from going green.

The 67 horsepower bikes can travel up to 100 highway or 171 city miles before losing their charge and could save the Los Angeles Police Department tens of thousands of dollars in gas expenses over their lifetime.

They're much lighter and sleeker than the Harley Davidson and BMW bikes the LAPD currently has, but it's still unclear if their electric counterparts will stand the test of time.

In addition to gas savings, the up-front costs are also raising some eyebrows.  The Zero bikes come in at about $10,000 less than a fully equipped BMW or Harley, they said, although they're not really suited for long trips or criminal chases.   They could, however, be a great addition for day-to-day street patrols.

A full charge takes about seven hours, but that time can be drastically slashed if the LAPD opts to use special equipment.

The big question is whether the limited range of the electric motorcycles will have a negative impact on an officer's ability to do their job.   The testing will reportedly take some time and a full report of the bike's abilities will be available once this is done.

Do you think the LAPD should go green?