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“Do as we say, not as we do.” That seems to be the government of California’s mantra. When the California Highway Patrol chose a new low-profile undercover-sort-of highway patrol vehicle to search for bad guys driving aggressively, it picked a big three-row SUV with a HEMI V8 gasoline engine.
“The new vehicles give our officers an important advantage,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “They will allow us to identify and stop drivers who are putting others at risk, while still showing a professional and visible presence once enforcement action is needed.”
The Dodge Durango CHP chose a fantastic vehicle. We’ve tested it many times, and we love every version of the Durango. CHP could have opted for a relatively fuel-efficient V6, but, according to the Desert Sun, opted for the V8, just like we would do if we were buying one. 2024 Durangos with the V8 have EPA-Estimated Combined fuel efficiency ratings as low as 13 MPG, depending on the specific V8 selected.
California’s Highway Patrol really loves its gas-burning vehicles. Here’s what they published in a document about them:
These 100 Dodge Durangos—paired with our existing high-performance fleet, which
includes Dodge Chargers and Ford Explorers—blend into traffic just enough to
observe the most reckless and dangerous behaviors without immediate detection.
Once enforcement begins, their markings serve as a clear reminder that safety is the
CHP’s top priority.
SUVs the size of the Durango used by California’s Highway Patrol have been on sale in America now for ten years. Three companies build battery-electric SUVs this size in America. Rivian’s R1S is built in Normal, Illinois. The R1S is capable of a 0-60 MPH launch of just 2.9 seconds. The thing is a rocket, and would have no trouble with the role of a pursuit vehicle. Tesla has been making a three-row all-electric SUV called the Model X for about ten years now, and it is as fast or faster than the Rivian. Guess where this American company builds that SUV? Fremont, California, of all places. Go figure. Kia also makes a three-row SUV in America. The EV9 has earned high praise from reviewers. It’s built in Georgia.
We could keep on harping about the abject hypocrisy of California forcing EVs down the throats of its residents and those who live in states that adopt CARB’s mandates, minimums, and more, but you get the picture. When California wanted a car for itself, it chose a gig whomping SUV with a gas-gulping V8 engine in it. Just like one you might want. Right?
Here’s what California says about EVs and your mandate to own one: “Governor Newsom’s 2020 Executive Order N-79-20 requires all new passenger vehicles sold in California to be zero emissions by 2035.”
How do you feel about California pushing EVs on citizens while still buying V8-powered gas gulpers? Tell us in the comments below.
Psst: Did you know that Ford makes fuel-efficient hybrid SUVs just for police duty? We drove one. Here’s the Story.
John Goreham is a credentialed New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work on his personal X channel or on our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John’s by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ grammar and punctuation software when proofreading and he also uses image generation tools.
California Highway Patrol’s new gas-gulping V8-powered patrol car shown at top of page courtesy of the public Facebook page of the California Highway Patrol. The second image shows an Instagram post by the California Highway Patrol.
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Source: torquenews.com
