On August 28, the Clovis Police Department (CPD) became the proud owners of five electric motorcycles, thanks to the San Joaquin Valley Air District’s public benefit grant.
Purchased from Ekhaus Fleet, based here in Clovis, the department's new Zero Electric Police motorcycles will not replace the BMW R1200 the department already uses, but will augment the present fleet. The new bikes can go up to 125 miles per charge and can achieve speeds of 95mph.
Similar in appearance to a pumped-up version of a dual sport bike, these nearly 400lb cycles produce little noise, zero exhaust, and require about eight hours to recharge.
More than 30 Zero Motorcycles are still available to other Valley municipalities through the grant process. Fresno is considering acquiring the electric motorcycles as well.
Clovis's Zero Motorcycles came ready for use on the road and went into operation the day after they were received. According to the CPD, the new additions will be used in a variety of situations, including patrolling for traffic violations, as well as rodeo grounds and monitoring trails.
The Zeros, as they are being referred to in the department, bring with them multiple and far-reaching benefits. The new additions are not only beneficial for the public's health and the environment in general, but are also providing an economic boost. The $95,000 cycles were purchased from a local company and were built in California.
