Mitsubishi MiEV – Plod-Mobile

The blues and twos on a Mitsubishi MiEV

It appears that since Mitsubishi took the MiEV to the National Police Show last month they’ve been inundated with requests from Police Forces around the UK to test the car. With it’s top speed of 81 mph and range of 100 miles we can’t quite see the MiEV being used as a pursuit car. In fact the only place it would be of any use is in town, but for what it’s worth we’d much rather see plod pounding the beat than floating around in a Noddy-Mobile.

Mitsubishi say:

“The i MiEVs have been in the UK on trial for almost a year now and we are delighted that Police Forces in the UK are able to see that the future of zero emissions driving requires no compromise.”

It would appear that West Midlands Police are scheduled to be the first UK force to take delivery of the MiEV. Best we watch our speed on the M6 in future. And we can see this cropping up on one of those police chase programmes on satellite TV. It’s embarrassing enough to see a police Astra futilely chasing a miscreant – especially when the next clip shows a V8 Yank-mobile making a decent fist of the chase – without seeing our plod in a battery car outrun by an oik on a moped.

We may be a little dismissive of this – I’m sure the MiEV will have its uses –  but one thing that tickled us was a quote by Mitsubishi – “…the ideal vehicle for urban policing. In addition, with the ability to carry four adult passengers and equipment in comfort, the i MiEV is a versatile community policing vehicle”

We’d pay good money to see four burly plod - resplendent in helmets and with a boot full of kit – in a Mitsubishi MiEV.

By Cars UK