Weaverville Police Department leads mountain region in switch to electric patrol cars

Weaverville Police Department leads mountain region in switch to electric patrol cars

by Taylor Thompson

Mon, September 25, 2023 at 5:38 PM

Updated Mon, September 25, 2023 at 6:58 PM

SEPT. 25, 2023 - The Weaverville Police Department received its first two electric patrol vehicles on Friday. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)

WEAVERVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The Weaverville Police Department is on its way to becoming what Police Chief Ron Davis said is the only agency in the mountains to make the switch to electric vehicles.

Davis said town leaders gave the department the directive to be as efficient as possible.

He said the department began deploying hybrid vehicles several years ago and, since then, the fleet has consisted mainly of hybrid patrol cars.

In February, officials began to look into obtaining electric patrol vehicles.

Davis said the department received its first two on Friday.

"We are the first in the region to have electric vehicles and specifically an electric patrol vehicle," he said.

Davis said while officers love the capability of the vehicles and how they are set up, they do have some concerns over the range, which is about 275 miles. AndWeaverville does not have many charging stations.

"Nonetheless, I feel confident we can overcome that, address those infrastructure issues," he said.

Davis is not too worried, though, because Weaverville has already received a grant and is working to install more charging stations.

"Once they come to grips with it being an electric vehicle, it's like any other vehicle that you have. You just plug it in instead of putting gas in it," he said.

Davis said it's exciting to be at the forefront of the EV movement, and city officials battled supply chain issues to get the vehicles.

"It clearly shows our leadership is determined to be more efficient, and it all comes down to we are saving a bunch on fuel," he said.

SEPT. 25, 2023 - The Weaverville Police Department received its first two electric patrol vehicles on Friday. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)

Davis said the department is saving more than 6,000 gallons of fuel with the hybrid vehicles and expects to save significantly more with the switch to electric.

"Trying to do what's right in terms of what we can do to help the planet," he said.

That's something Stan Cross, with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, is happy to see a local government working to do.

"As they electrify their fleets, that gets more vehicles purchased, that gets more vehicles out on the used market when they're done with those vehicles," Cross said.

Cross said he has been driving an electric vehicle for more than a decade and has saved about $1,500 a year by driving one.

"Once you kick gas, there's no going back," he said.

Cross said he's continued to see an increase in the number of people driving electric vehicles in the mountains.

"In North Carolina, 7 percent of all new car purchases were electric vehicles in the second quarter of 2023," he said.

According to Cross, that's a 56% growth from last year.

Davis said the police department has almost done away with traditional gas vehicles.

"The goal is to go to complete hybrid and electric-only vehicles," Davis said.

The hope is that the department will reach that goal in about a year.