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By Brian Shlonsky

UK Police have gone green. With the purchase of two new electric motorcycles, police are doing their part to continue the university’s sustainability efforts.

The Vectrix VX-1 motorcycles, which put out zero emissions, have been in use  by UK Police for about three weeks, and were used heavily during the Louisville football game Saturday.

“The motorcycles gave us an increase of two extra officers in the parking lot at the stadium this weekend and gave police better mobility,” said Interim Police Chief Maj. Joe Monroe.

The Vectrix motorcycles, which will not be used for traffic enforcement like the department’s four current Harley Davidson motorcycles, are expected to be seen across campus as another vehicle to supplement bikes, golf carts and squad cars.

“As of now, the new motorcycles have been positive,” Monroe said. “It is a lot easier for students to approach officers and it gives officers easier access in many situations.”

The two motorcycles, purchased in conjunction with UK’s “Big Blue Goes Green: A Sustainability Showcase,” each cost the university $10,000.  Monroe said they will pay for themselves within the first year because it allows the department to park a squad car, thus increasing savings by decreasing fuel costs.  They cost only about a penny a mile to operate, he said.

“We were able to use leftover funds from the budget cycle to purchase the two motorcycles instead of an additional squad car,” Monroe said.

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Any standard  110-volt AC wall outlet will charge the motorcycles, which take around three hours to fully charge.  A single charge will last approximately eight to 10 hours, giving the motorcycles an average range of 35 to 55 miles.  The top speed for the VX-1 is 62 miles per hour.

Officer Wesley Tyler is one of the 10 UK Police officers currently trained by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation to ride and operate the motorcycles.

“They are very smooth and very quiet,” Tyler said. “You get a lot of vibration with a normal motorcycle, but you experience none of that with the new ones.  It handles the same as a moped and I’m comfortable on it in traffic; it accelerates fast.”

The zero emissions Vectrixes make a very quiet buzzing or humming sound when  being driven.

The New York City Police Department currently has the largest supply of the Vectrix motorcycles, and have been using them for about a year.

About a dozen other police agencies are currently using the Vectrix, including Eastern Kentucky University, Penn State University and Amherst College.