BMW and Hyundai have supplied special model vehicles to two of Australia’s State police forces, with an M3 Competition added to the Victoria Police roster. A hydrogen fuel-cell Hyundai NEXO has joined Queensland Police.
The latest generation of BMW’s famed sports sedan has been performing specialist duties in the hands of Victoria Police Highway Patrol officers in recent weeks across the state, as part of a vehicle evaluation and assessment process.
Provision of the high-performance model complements BMW’s strong association with Victoria Police following deployment of BMW 5 Series Highway Patrol vehicles. In the past, and M5 Competition has also served some time being evaluated.
The BMW M3 Competition features a six-cylinder powerplant with BMW M TwinPower Turbo technology that develops 375kW and 650Nm. The straight-six engine puts its power down through the rear wheels via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic.
The combination delivers ultra-fast, precise shifts, and which contributes to achieving a standard sprint time of just 3.9-seconds.
A hydrogen fuel cell Hyundai NEXO has also joined Queensland Police as part of the deployment of five electric vehicles into that State’s government fleet. The deployment will let the local cops experience the unique benefits of a zero-emissions FCEV.
It marks NEXO as the first fuel-cell police car in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, highlighting Hyundai and the Queensland government’s commitment to hydrogen. The government hydrogen station in Brisbane will provide the infrastructure to refuel the car.
The futuristic NEXO SUV is one of the first hydrogen-powered cars available in Australia, and the Queensland Police and government NEXOs take the national fleet to 28, alongside the 20 NEXOs rolled out to the ACT government and those stationed at Hyundai in Sydney.
“Deploying NEXO into the Queensland Police Service provides a terrific opportunity for police to experience the unique benefits of our zero-emission hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle while showcasing the technology to the public,” Hyundai Australia CEO Jun Heo said.
The NEXO offers a range of 666km, with a refuelling time of three to five minutes, in a futuristic compact SUV package that purifies the air as it drives, emitting only water vapour from its exhaust. It has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.
