An investigation by CBS Los Angeles uncovers massive waste on EVs by LA Police:
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles Police Department made a big deal about going green with a fleet of electric BMWs.
But our David Goldstein has discovered some of those cars are sitting in the garage.
Here is a full script of Goldstein’s investigation:
“This is part of a million-dollar pilot program. You’re really supposed to get a manicure using the BMWs?”
We followed this LAPD commander driving one of the department’s fleet of electric BMWs to a nail salon.
“Is it supposed to be used for getting a manicure?”
The cars are part of a multimillion-dollar taxpayer funded project to help the LAPD go green.
But our investigation of department records found some electric cars are sitting unused with only a few hundred miles on them, and with hidden cameras, we found others are allegedly being misused.
“The LAPD unveiled its patrol cars of the future today.”
In a 2016 well-choreographed press conference, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck got out of an electric BMW driven by Mayor Garcetti to tout the city’s ambitious project.
“They certainly have the performance potential.”
BMW won the contract to provide electric cars for the LAPD. One hundred delivered each year for three years, to be used right now for administrative purposes. Non-emergencies.
The department is leasing them.
The cost: $10.2 million, which includes charging stations.
“We want to be responsive to the community.”
Money well worth it according to LAPD Deputy Chief Jorge Villegas.
“It’s all a part of saving the Earth, going green … quite frankly, to try and save money for the community and the taxpayers.”
But sources say some personnel are reluctant to use the electric cars because they can only go 80-100 miles on a charge.
And the mileage logs we obtained seem to back that up.
From April 2016 when the project started through August 2017, we found most of the electric cars have only been used for a few thousand miles.
And a handful are sitting in the garage with only a few hundred on them.
Like this one in service since may 27, 2016, with just 400 miles on it!
That’s an average use of 6 miles a week!
With the monthly lease payment of a little more than $418, this one costs taxpayers over $15 a mile to use!
“It just doesn’t make any sense!
Political watchdog Jack Humphreville says it seems the department was more interested in the image of using electric cars than the implementation.
“First of all, if they’re going to be using $10 million of our money, or basically leasing $10 million of equipment, they ought to have a damn plan!”
“Isn’t that just a tremendous waste of money?” http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018...ion-lapd-electric-bmws-appear-unused-misused/
