BMW’s i3 electric hatch may be struggling to win regular consumers in the US these days, but it managed to win a bid to supply the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) with 100 units for its transportation fleet.

The move is part of LA’s “Sustainable City pLAn” initiative to build the biggest city-owned pure EV fleet in America, with the lease of 160 vehicles for the Police, Fire, General Services, and Water and Power departments. Mayor Eric Garcetti has claimed that these vehicles are not only environmentally friendly, but they will also “save taxpayer dollars along the way”.

“We should be thinking green in everything we do — and these new EVs show how local government can lead,” said Mayor Garcetti after announcing the deal with BMW. “Our sustainability plan pushes L.A. to speed adoption of greener practices and technologies, which also save money and resources”.

The LAPD’s decision comes after a trial period during which they tested the diminutive BMW i3 against the larger, faster but also more than twice as expensive Tesla Model S P85D. The German carmaker stated that their car was selected “due to a combination of EPA rated best-in-class efficiency, reliability and state-of-the-art ConnectedDrive services” as well as their “extensive knowledge of charging infrastructure” and “large network of BMW i centers for servicing the fleet”.

Before you crack a joke about the i3’s performance attributes, these loaners won’t be used for televised high-speed chases, but in a “non-emergency” capacity “as transportation vehicles for officers and in community outreach initiatives”.

BMW’s i3 has been on the market for a little over two years, becoming the third best-selling electric car in the US, though, that doesn’t say much in terms of absolute sales. According to Autonews data, in 2014, the i3 sold just 70 cars more than Fiat’s 500e at 6,092 units, trailing Tesla’s Model S (16,550) and Nissan’s Leaf (30,200), but thanks to a heavy push with lease incentives and significant discounts, it managed to sell 11,024 units in 2015, finishing 3rd behind the Leaf (17,269) and Model S (26,400). In the first two months of 2016, it sold only 430 units, which placed it in fourth place after the VW eGolf (526), Nissan Leaf (1,685) and Tesla Model S (3,200). California accounts for around 40% of the i3’s US sales.

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