EAST WENATCHEE, Wash. — The City of East Wenatchee is introducing what's believed to be the first hydrogen-powered police car in the country.
The car, a 2019 Toyota Mirai, was leased to the East Wenatchee Police Department through an interlocal partnership with the Douglas County Public Utilities District (Douglas PUD). The Douglas PUD purchased four of the vehicles earlier this year from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation and Toyota.
Following the purchase, the Douglas PUD General Manager Gary Ivory encouraged other departments to follow their lead, considering the county's renewable hydrogen production facility is anticipated to be fully operational by the end of this year. The project is intended to show how hydrogen can be a realistic, renewable fuel source in local communities.
Upon Ivory's encouragement, East Wenatchee Police Chief Rick Johnson reached out to the PUD to test out one of their vehicles. The police department will be allowed to use the car for the next four years. The agreement also stipulates that the price of hydrogen will never surpass the current cost of fuel.
"Our department drives more miles than the PUD, so this is an ideal chance to learn from our experience," Johnson said. "We're eager to see how hydrogen-powered vehicles perform in a law enforcement setting and help refine the integration of hydrogen fuel cells into our operations."
This is not the first time the East Wenatchee Police Department has experimented with renewable energy in its vehicle fleet. Last year, the department acquired a fully electric truck, which has been a "significant success," Johnson said. The cost to charge the truck is around $3 per shift, compared to $50-$70 in fuel costs.
“We value our relationship with Douglas County PUD and together we’re making important strides that will help improve efficiency and reduce our environmental impact, paving the way for a brighter future for our community,” said East Wenatchee Mayor Jerrilea Crawford.
Once the hydrogen plant is fully operational, Douglas PUD will begin encouraging other companies and agencies with fleet vehicles to add hydrogen-powered cars.
