i3

Make
BMW
Segment
Hatchback

The Madrid Municipal Police added 169 electric and hybrid BMWs to its already impressive fleet, which consists of 470 vehicles from various brands. It needs a large fleet to cover the entire municipality, which measures roughly 233 square miles and includes densely populated districts like Carabanchel and districts with wide-open spaces with woods and parks like Moratalaz.

That's why only a third of the Madrid PD's order is either fully electric or plug-in hybrid. BMW officially ended production of the i3 in July after several newer EVs made it irrelevant. Still, the Madrid PD believes the i3 is perfect for the Centro district, a low-emissions zone and the oldest part of the city.

The brisk acceleration, tiny proportions, and agile handling are perfect for an area dating back to 852 AD. It's also only 2.02 square miles, so the 153-mile range is adequate.

The BMW 2 Series Active Tourer 225xe is the plug-in hybrid variant of Bimmer's tiny front-wheel-drive MPV, which is, mercifully, not sold in the States. It will also be used in the oldest parts of the city, built well before the kind people of Madrid knew the city would one day be occupied by horseless carriages.

Every other car on the list is a mild hybrid with a 48-volt battery. The models include the 2 Series Active Tourer 220i, 5 Series Saloon (530i), and X5 xDrive30d. Out of these, only the 530i is sold in the USA. It's powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 248 horsepower and 257 lb-ft of torque.

We're most interested in the BMW X5 xDrive30d. The USA only gets gas-powered X5s, but we know the turbocharged six-cylinder diesel in the 30d quite well. It's good, but Americans are allergic to diesel following the ongoing Dieselgate scandal.

Still, we couldn't help but notice the massive plow at the front. It doesn't snow in Madrid often, and when it does, it's only in late December and January. Then again, it's better to be overprepared than underprepared. The department's X5s will be equipped with a plow, a winch, traction tape, high-powered spotlights, and a recovery hook.

Madrid is not the only famous city with an electrified police department. New York's finest placed an order for a fleet of Ford Mustang Mach-Es earlier this year, and US manufacturers are already developing or have launched EVs explicitly designed for police duty.

The news of the Madrid PD going environmentally friendly follows a mere week after BMW gave players and coaches from Real Madrid's men's and women's football and basketball squads brand-new EVs. Obviously, these guys need to look hella stylish, so the i3 was out.

Instead, players will drive an iX or an i4 in M50 guise. Audi ended its sponsorship deal with the various teams in July this year, and BMW jumped at the opportunity to take over.

Now that Cristiano Ronaldo is a free agent, he might be lured back to Real Madrid thanks to the prospect of owning a BMW i4. It would make a great daily driver when one of his staff crashes one of his Bugattis.