Partnership Brings Electric Vehicles and Motorcycles to the United States Park Police Fleet

U.S. Park Police's new fleet of electric motorcycles in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC

U.S. Park Police

The National Park Service (NPS) has partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to place five all-electric cars and eight electric motorcycles into service with the United States Park Police (USPP) as part of an ongoing effort to “Green our Rides.”

More than a dozen all-electric cars and motorcycles have been added to the USPP fleet, made possible through a long-standing partnership between the NPS and the DOE. These high performance, high efficiency, and (whisper quiet) zero emission vehicles will provide transportation to USPP law enforcement officers and staff in and around the National Mall, memorials, monuments, and other properties managed by NPS in the Washington metro area. This real-world use of advanced vehicle technologies will serve as an example to other police and public service fleets seeking to do the same and will be seen by millions of park visitors each year.

The electric vehicles and motorcycles, along with charging stations installed at multiple locations throughout the region, were manufactured in the USA. All 13 electric vehicles replaced aging, less efficient vehicles, and will significantly reduce operating and maintenance expenses, which helps the USPP achieve their goals of cost-effectively modernizing and greening their fleet.

“We are excited to be the first federal law enforcement agency to deploy fully electric motorcycles,” said USPP Deputy Chief Steven Booker. “We are looking at the possibility to expand their use to our jurisdictions in New York City and San Francisco.”

Since 2010, the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative, a partnership between the DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and NPS, has led to more than 40 parks acquiring over 100 alternative fuel vehicles and related fueling infrastructure. DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory provides technical assistance to help park properties evaluate transportation options and determine which vehicle technologies best match their needs and produce the greatest benefits.

Partnerships like this help NPS to address opportunities and challenges into its second century of stewardship of America’s iconic historic, cultural, and natural resources.