( CNN ) -- They might not be the first police force to add an electric vehicle to their fleet , but Scotts Valley Police Department in California surely has one of the most stylish . The Zero DS motorcycle is part trail , part road bike and has a top speed of 55 miles per hour , which might not make it so useful in a high-speed pursuit . But what it lacks in horsepower it more than makes up for in stealth . Powered by a lithium-ion battery ( which takes four hours to recharge ) the bike hardly makes a sound -- thus allowing police to exercise their own right to silence before uttering a similar sentence to law-breakers . Police departments all over the world are embracing all manner of electric vehicles , recognizing their duty of care to the environment as well as to the citizens of the streets they patrol . One of the more popular electric models to hit the market in recent years is the T3 , manufactured by California-based T3 Motion . The three-wheel stand-up bike has proved popular not only with police forces but also with security companies and the military . The zero emissions trike affords drivers an elevated platform giving them wide visibility and `` a commanding presence , '' say its manufacturers . Maneuverable yet sturdy , the T3 has found a home with police departments in the Middle East , North America , Europe and Asia . Another electric car that a law enforcement force might be happy to have in its fleet is BMW 's Electric MINI , which has been styled by German tuning company , AC Schnitzer . Unveiled at the Essen Motor Show , Germany at the end of 2010 , the design was part of a safety initiative by Germany 's Federal Transport Ministry . Sadly , the car is n't available yet . Carl Archambeault imagines his `` Scarab '' concept as an eco-friendly accomplice in combating crime . The three-wheeled remotely controlled electric vehicle is aimed at helping police in high-speed chases , not only to reduce the amount of manpower needed to catch criminals , but also to cut down injuries and fatalities that pursuits cause .
Cool electric bike to help Californian police department fight crime . Zero DS has top speed of 55 mph and recharges in four hours . Police forces around the world taking orders for all types of electric vehicles .