After nine years and over 250,000 cars assembled, BMW ended production of the quirky i3 hatchback back in June. However, some of the final vehicles were not delivered until earlier this week at a dedicated event in Spain. Police in Madrid took delivery of 169 vehicles, a third of which were fully electric (i3) and plug-in hybrid (2 Series Active Tourer 225xe). In total, Madrid police have more than 470 cars from different brands in its portfolio and all have some type of special protection equipment.
Three additional models are now part of the police fleet, and all have mild-hybrid powertrains: 2 Series Active Tourer 220i, 5 Series Sedan 530i, and X5 xDrive30d. These vehicles will perform various duties as the EV duo will patrol the streets of central Madrid while the 48V models will be used in the city’s low-emission zone. As for the SUV, it has been accessorized with a snowplow, extra lights, and a winch.
The official handover took place on Monday at the Cibeles Palace where Madrid mayor José Luis MartÃnez-Alméida attended the event. Manuel Terroba, executive president of BMW Group Spain and Portugal, was also there. They were joined by the general director of the Municipal Police, Pablo Enrique Rodriguez Pérez, and representatives of Alphabet (BMW Group leasing company).
The latest announcement comes after BMW Switzerland unveiled an iX police car in September while the Czech Republic got a 540i Touring a few months ago. The new X1 compact crossover is likely to perform police car duties sooner or later considering a camouflaged prototype was seen this summer with special equipment.
Last year, 3 Series Touring police cars in Germany received a new livery with a white, blue, and yellow color scheme. At the end of 2021, Victoria Police Force in Australia received an M3 for its highway patrol fleet to replace an M5 Competition they had on a one-year loan.
Source: BMW Spain
