From Skeptic to Advocate: Georgia Police Chief Leads Electrification Charge
Avondale Estates, Georgia, may be just eight miles east of Atlanta’s bustling city center, but its unique Tudor-Revival architecture and storied history paint a picture of a quieter past. While the town is quaint—at 3,600 residents and 1.26 square miles—it hasn’t shied away from progress.
In August 2022, the Avondale Estates police department began transitioning to electric police vehicles, and today, four of the 17 vehicles in the all-Ford fleet are electric. “We have one F-150® Lightning® truck and three Mustang® Mach-E® SUVs, which we use as administrative vehicles,” said Police Chief Harry Hess.
The electric vehicles (EVs) quickly proved to be a worthy investment. Between September 2022 and May 2024, Hess says the department saved nearly 2,790 gallons of gas and 19.87 tons of CO2 and continues to see monthly savings in running the vehicles. For example, the department spent approximately $200 less on energy costs in April 2024 when comparing gas and charging. “In April, we would’ve spent $651 [on gas], but our power bill for the EV charging stations that month was only $432.”
“In April, we would’ve spent $651 [on gas], but our power bill for the EV charging stations that month was only $432.”
EV Charging Prompts New Routines
When the mayor and board of commissioners first asked Hess to investigate EV adoption, he had reservations: “In full transparency, I didn’t want to do it. I thought we’d be outpriced by the electric police vehicles, and at the time, we didn’t have chargers installed anywhere.”
Even still, the city worked closely with its local Ford Dealership to get quotes and eventually voted unanimously to transition to electric police vehicles for admin and criminal investigators.
Hess will be the first to admit that he “went into scramble mode” after the vote.
“We knew we needed chargers—and we knew we needed them yesterday,” he said. Thankfully, the local utility provider, Georgia Power, worked with the department to find an electrician who specialized in EV charging.
After assessing the costs and logistics of charger installation, the city decided to install Level 2 chargers at Hess’ home and his deputy chief’s home as well as at the police station.
Along with electric police vehicles, Avondale PD activated Ford Pro™ Telematics1 to streamline vehicle maintenance.
Once the chargers were installed, Hess had to form some new routines. “I had to remember to plug the EV in when I got home, which was new for me,” he said. “And initially, once the EV range dipped below 50%, I wanted to recharge right away.”
Soon enough, however, Hess adjusted. He estimates his average daily mileage to be 75 miles. “The real learning curve was the worry, but after learning more about the range and capabilities of EVs, I found that I could get two to three days’ worth of driving out of a full charge on the Mach-E.”
“The real learning curve was the worry, but after learning more about the range and capabilities of EVs, I found that I could get two to three days’ worth of driving out of a full charge on the Mach-E.”
Additionally, Hess and his team use features like One-Pedal Driving (which helps increase the use of regenerative braking) to maximize EV range.
“My detective who drives a Mach-E lives about 35 miles away from the station,” Hess said. “She went from using 15%-20% of the battery during her commute to just 10% by using One-Pedal Driving.”
Today, Hess’ initial reservations about EV adoption are gone. “The EVs require a little more investment upfront, but the way I’m tracking on the Mustang Mach-E SUVs, I’m anticipating full return on investment in year three or four,” he said. He’s even had other agencies around the state approach him for advice on how to add EVs to their own fleets.
His biggest tip? “Make sure you have the EV charging infrastructure.”
1Ford Pro™ Telematics is available on vehicles with embedded modems or equipped with approved plug-in devices (PID). May require modem activation. Ford Pro Telematics and Ford Pro Data Services require a purchased subscription. Terms and conditions apply. Telematics service and features, and access to vehicle data, depend on subscription and compatible AT&T network availability. Evolving technology/cellular networks/vehicle capability may limit functionality and prevent operation of connected features.
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