Greece debuts the first police-liveried Volkswagen ID.4

The police force of the small island of Astypalea, in Greece, has just debuted the first Volkswagen ID.4 to serve as a police vehicle. The German electric model has been dressed in the colours of the island’s security forces and has begun service as part of an agreement between the Greek government and the Volkswagen Group, which aims to turn this island in the Aegean Sea into a sustainable space with clean mobility.

To achieve this, not only has this car been replaced, but also several of the combustion-engine cars in the island’s official fleet have been swapped for several units of this model. The service cars at the airport and in several municipal departments have gone electric, and in this way the transition to almost complete electric mobility is beginning on this Greek island.

An ambitious plan

The Greek government’s plan to turn Astypalea into a paradise where combustion engines gradually disappear relies on the collaboration of the Volkswagen Group. The German consortium has provided support for this project and has taken part by incorporating these Volkswagen ID.4 units into municipal services, but it also offers several electric models to the island’s residents with significant discounts.

Among the offer that Volkswagen makes available to residents are the Volkswagen ID.3, the ID.4 and other electric mobility solutions such as the SEAT eScooter 125. This will allow Volkswagen to see how users adapt to a radical change in the way mobility is understood in a closed and controlled space such as an island, in order to establish new strategies for introducing electric vehicles.

Another of the actions it will carry out is the introduction of carsharing and motosharing services, making electric vehicles such as the SEAT eScooter available for shared use. It is important to note that the installation of chargers is also included in this programme. And the energy that will power these will come from sunlight.

In 2023 a new solar energy park with a capacity of 3 MW will open, which will provide 100% of the electricity needed to power all the electric vehicles on the island. Moreover, it will be able to cover 50% of the island’s total electricity demand. In 2026 this photovoltaic energy field will be expanded to cover up to 80% of the energy consumed on Astypalea.