Blog of RENAULT NISSAN Alliance

The Renault ZOE and Nissan LEAF have found a new lease of life as police patrol cars, with constabularies in the UK and France choosing to equip their officers with the zero-emission vehicles.

In the UK, the West Midlands Police recently negotiated leasing a fleet of 30 Nissan LEAFs for the next three years. The vehicles will be used as "diary" cars for officers to drive to pre-arranged appointments with victims and other members of the public. As diary cars average 40 to 45 miles per day, the LEAF, with its range of 70 to 80 miles, is well-adapted to the task. Furthermore, it will help the constabulary make significant savings on fuel costs, while also promoting an environmentally-friendly image.

In rural France, meanwhile, the Renault ZOE has been adopted as an official police vehicle for the first time. The village of Saint-Michel-sur-Meurthe in the northeastern department of the Vosges recently purchased the zero-emission ZOE for its local police force, after being won over by the vehicle's unique characteristics.

With the village located in the Vosges mountains, renowned for their greenery and pine forests, local administrators wanted a police car that would uphold their ecological values. The mayor and his deputy were particularly impressed by ZOE's combination of economic efficiency, innovation and respect for the environment – and decided to pre-order the vehicle at the end of last year.

It seems the French police's new all-electric vehicle has made quite an impression on local residents: since Saint-Michel-sur-Meurthe's officers started patrolling the area in their ZOE, the Renault dealership in nearby Saint-Dié-des-Vosges has sold an additional six ZOEs to private individuals.

See the news on West Midlands Police’s website.