Carbon Motors E7 Police Car

Carbon Motors E7 Police Car

For as long as there have been criminals and cops, the police car has been an absolute necessity for law enforcement of all types. In most cases, we see heavily modified passenger cars with light bars, beefy bumpers, and a host of other accessories needed to keep the peace. Here in the states, Ford's Crown Victoria has served in this role for many years, but some think its retirement is long overdue. The solution, they say, is a purpose-built vehicle, designed from the ground up for law enforcement and nothing else: the Carbon Motors"E7" aka "The Machine".

The car is designed to give officers everything they need to do their job, from the factory, and without the need for modifications after purchase. Its lifespan is longer, and its engine is more efficient. In a recent blog post on www.officer.com, Jim Donahue states, quite bluntly, that this is absolutely what the police car of the future should be.

Having witnessed several generations of police cars based on hand-me-down production cars, with compromises in functionality and safety, officer Donahue is ready for a change. He reflects on the lengthy career of the Ford Police Interceptor, and points out some major flaws in the way the company approaches the task. Expressing one of his main concerns, he says, "today's police car has become a death-trap for cops." He goes on to make the point that fire departments, and emergency medical squads demand much more specialized and purpose-built equipment for their activities, while police departments continue to settle for a vehicle that falls short of expectations. Officer Donahue even goes on to speculate cost comparisons between the aging Interceptor and the E7. His estimates and calculations indicate that the E7 could be a smart financial move too.

Jim's comments do have me wondering why this hasn't been tried before. Do the car makers and law enforcement agencies have agreements that would prevent a start-up like Carbon Motors from being successful? Is it harder to make a purpose-built police car than it sounds? Perhaps it is indeed time to ditch the sedan-based cars for something designed with law enforcement officers in mind. If it's as good as they say it is, I do believe it's time.

[Officer.com via Carbon Motors]