DHS shows off first fully electric federal law enforcement vehicle

The Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle will be added to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) automotive fleet, making the organization the first federal agency to adopt an EV for law enforcement use.

DHS currently has over 50,000 vehicles and is one of the largest motor vehicle fleets among any US federal agency. Officials aim to have 60 percent of the current vehicles replaced with EVs in the coming years, while the Biden administration continues to push towards net-zero by 2050.

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Earlier in the year, the Mustang Mach-E underwent an upfit by DHS to equip the vehicles with lights and sirens, following Federal Protective Service standards. Before the vehicles rollout on a widescale, now they are undergoing high-threshold testing. The FPS ensures all DHS vehicles can withstand high speeds, on- and off-road maneuverability, durability, endurance, and custom technical specifications.

In addition to physical requirements, FPS also is verifying cybersecurity protocols that include potential threats, vulnerabilities, and possible risks of EVs being rolled out. This is an important measure because vehicles have even more computer chips and connectivity that could be compromised.

Randolph Alles, Acting Under Secretary for Management at DHS, said this in a press statement:

"DHS is proactively seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, EVs have the potential to significantly improve federal fleet efficiency and reduce vehicle operation and maintenance costs. DHS is also looking to create climate-resilient facilities and infrastructure, and to continue transitioning the DHS vehicle fleet towards electrification in the years to come."

As part of the DHS Climate Action Plan, fleet electrification is coupled with sustainability, energy and water resilience - and will continue to remain a major priority for the DHS moving forward. Overall, the federal government now strives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with many US states also planning to ban the sale of new gas powered vehicles in coming years.