This photo shows what the East Wenatchee Police Department's new Ford F-150 Lightning Pro SSV could look like.
Provided photo/East Wenatchee Police Department
East Wenatchee Police Chief Rick Johnson said the Lightning will cost around $41,000 and he expects the up-fitting with police equipment to cost an additional $13,000 to $15,000. The vehicle will help determine whether the department can support an all-electric fleet.
The new Ford Explorer was intended to be a hybrid; however, Johnson said there was a backlog for that model and the soonest the department could’ve received a hybrid Explorer was in November.
He estimated the new Explorer will cost more than $43,000, with the police equipment up-fitting to cost $13,000 to $15,000.
The two new vehicles will replace two older vehicles. The department phases out vehicles about every seven years.
The city of East Wenatchee and the Douglas County PUD are partnering for a pilot program to test the Lightning as a patrol vehicle for a year to determine the capacity and limitations the department has to operate an all-electric vehicle fleet.
Johnson said the program will identify how the electric vehicle is compatible with the police equipment and how it does in different temperatures.
“That’s what we’re going to find out,” Johnson said “It (the pilot program) is going to give us a realistic idea of a certain percentage of how many electric vehicles we can have in our fleet.”
The department will move into its new headquarters next week, with a new charging station set to be installed later this month.
The Douglas County PUD paid $24,000 for the charging station. The city will pay $5,000 to install it. Both entities will pay $1,000 for the vehicle wrap displaying East Wenatchee and the PUD logos.
Discuss the news on NABUR, a place to have local conversations The Neighborhood Alliance for Better Understanding and Respect ✔ A site just for our local community ✔ Focused on facts, not misinformation ✔ Free for everyone
