Carbon Motors reports 10,000 pre-orders for diesel-powered E7 police car

As it turns out, there's quite a backlog of pent up demand for a purpose-built police car. Who knew that law enforcement officers were so fed up with their current fleet of Ford Crown Vics, Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Impalas? Apparently, that would be Carbon Motors, which is now reporting an impressive 10,000 pre-orders for its diesel-powered E7 cruiser despite the fact that production isn't schedule to start until 2012.

We can understand the interest. Each E7 will boast an impressive lise of features like 360-degree built-in police-duty LED lights, suicide rear doors with hose-out rear passenger compartment and a separate front compartment with high-tech touches like radar, LoJack, an automatic license plate recognition system, radiation and biological threat detectors and Carbon's exclusive On-board Rapid Command Architecture (ORCA), which features a large touchscreen display and keyboard.

Perhaps the best bit of all is the aluminum-intensive space frame construction with composite body panels, which keeps weight down low enough that the 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine with 300 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque can propel the E7 to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds and up to a top speed of 155 mph. Fuel economy is pegged at 28-30 miles per gallon, which is well above what any current police vehicles are likely to achieve.

Of course, before they can make good on any of those 10,000 pre-orders, Carbon Motors needs a place to build their wares. While the company has yet to make a decision, it has admitted that officials from Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina and South Carolina have approached them with offers. Check out Carbon Motors' official statement after the jump for more details.

[Source: Carbon Motors]

PRESS RELEASE:

Carbon Motors Surpasses 10,000 Reservations

We are thrilled to announce that we have now exceeded 10,000 production slot reservations for Carbon's 'E7'. The Company would like to extend its deepest gratitude to the hundreds of law enforcement agencies that placed those reservations from all across the country!

In addition to achieving this major milestone so soon, we would also like to thank members of the economic development communities in each of the following states for putting forth such thoughtful proposals and offers for the Carbon Campus: Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The team has literally met crowds of new Carbon Motors supporters and has formed many great new friendships in all of these states. Having to finally say 'yes' to 1 state and 'no' to 4 others will certainly be difficult – but senior representatives of all of these states have been extremely gracious nonetheless. Each state has assured us that they wish nothing but success for the Company, as it is in the best interests of the entire country.

William Santana Li, Carbon's Chairman and CEO, remarked that "no matter where we end up calling home, we'll always have these friends we can count on. That means a lot to us and will not be forgotten."

Rest assured that Carbon's executive team is meticulously evaluating each offer, and the Company is targeting a final decision to be announced sometime this summer.
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