1st all-electric police car hits Australia roads

File Photo

Australia's first all-electric police car hit the roads in the state of Victoria on Monday, one of the first jurisdictions in the world to take the landmark step.

The fully electric 'Tesla Model X' will perform highway patrol operational duties as part of a feasibility study into using more 'intelligent vehicles' for policing, Xinhua news agency reported.

"This vehicle is unlike any other Victoria police has ever had in its fleet and could well be the future of road policing in this state, country and the world," Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said.

"Our Highway Patrol cars are equipped with cutting-edge technology and this car gives us the opportunity to investigate having these technologies in a fully integrated in-car system which has the potential of streamlining the road policing effort."

Victoria Police are working with engineers from Tesla, the US automotive and energy company, to integrate police software directly into the vehicle's onboard system, hopefully giving officers a more intuitive and easier to use interface.