The future of the next-generation police interceptor took a significant step towards reality after Carbon Motors announced, in their latest newsletter, that it has received over 14,000 reservations for the custom-built E7 police car.

While the figure is pretty significant, it's still wise to temper expectations in the actual sales volume of the car especially since nobody has given any indication that they have signed up to buy the E7. The biggest reason behind the lack of firm orders for the E7? The price tag for one unit has yet to be revealed by the boys over at Carbon Motors.

Given what we already know about the car and its multitude of unique and high-tech features, it goes without saying that the price for one will be significantly more expensive than any of the new police cruisers out on the market today.

As of now, the 14,000 reservations have come from over 400 police agencies all over the country and, given the expected gargantuan cost to pick up one of these Demolition Man-like cruisers, we're not pinning our hopes on having all of those 14,000 reservations turn into firm orders.

Press Release after the jump

Press Release

New Entrants into Market Raise the Question, "What's the Difference?"

It has long been assumed that law enforcement professionals – police, sheriff's deputies, state patrol, etc. – operate real "police cars", yet there has never been any proof backed up with logic to show why this statement might be true (or in this case false) in the first place. It is a myth. Law enforcement organizations have never been offered a purpose-built solution because one never existed anywhere in the world until Carbon Motors came along with world's first and only purpose-built law enforcement patrol vehicle.

With the help of over 3,500 US law enforcement professionals from all 50 States representing the local, state and federal levels, Carbon Motors wrote the groundbreaking specifications for such a vehicle. Based on this comprehensive list, it became evident that modifying a retail passenger car would not suffice – from interior space requirements, to vehicle performance, to the use of advanced homeland security technologies, to the long-term durability based on law enforcement usage patterns, to the fuel efficiency, to the required safety attributes and the list goes on and on and on. Carbon Motors decided to develop an all-new, ground-up homeland security platform for the United States of America "Designed by Law Enforcement, Exclusively for Law Enforcement."

What Really is "Purpose-Built"?

Purpose-built quite simply means, "exclusively built for a particular purpose" – a superior product built from the ground-up with one sole mission, dedicated and committed to one set of professional users. Our country builds purpose-built vehicles to put out fires, go into battle, clean our streets, collect our trash and deliver our mail. Why not a purpose-built vehicle, then, for patrolling our roadways, protecting our communities, and securing our homeland?

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the MRAP All-Terrain Armored Vehicle, an emergency fire truck, a SWAT armored rescue vehicle, and the Carbon 'E7' – these are purpose-built vehicles on a very serious, clear and singular mission. The Carbon E7 is in fact so serious, that it will have a positive and material effect on at least six of President Obama's cabinet-level departments including the Departments of Labor, Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, Transportation, and Treasury. From creating thousands of new American jobs of national importance, to reducing our dependence on foreign oil, to better securing our homeland, and even reducing taxpayer burden regarding the approximately $100 billion the United States of America will spend on law enforcement vehicle operations over the next decade.

Demand is Unquestionable – 14,000 Reservations Says So!

Clearly, the brave women and men of law enforcement, the City Mayors, Managers and Council Members, the State Controllers and even the Federal Government all recognize the benefits of a purpose-built vehicle. And they have all backed it up in writing. Carbon Motors has surpassed 14,000 production slot reservations for the Carbon E7. These reservations were made by over 400 law enforcement agencies in 48 US States, representing each functional area of law enforcement. At this rate, Carbon Motors fully expects to have production sold out well in advance of the first vehicle rolling out of the Carbon Campus in Connersville, Indiana.

51st stop on Pure Justice Tour Features Ride-and-Drive

Carbon Motors Corporation was invited to participate in the Advanced Automotive Technology Symposium in Sacramento, California last week. The purpose of the event was to highlight some of the emerging technologies in the automotive powertrain space. Other participants included Bosch, BMW, Daimler, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Volkswagen. Advanced clean diesel technology was not only featured as a prominent provider of both reduced fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions, but as a long-term, durable solution to reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

Carbon Motors set out to provide an optimum balance of performance and fuel economy in the E7 law enforcement patrol vehicle with the selection of its advanced clean diesel engines by BMW. Symposium guests were invited to experience that performance first-hand after looking over Carbon's E7 – the thrill of having 80% of the engine's torque available between 1100 rpm to 4200 rpm!

Law enforcement professionals spent extraordinary lengths of time gazing at the E7 and learning of its unique features and functionalities. They were then escorted over to participate in a very special ride-and-drive in vehicles with this type of advanced powertrain. It was fun to see the looks on the faces of both law enforcement officers and fleet administrators as they were pinned to the backs of their seats. One of the California Congressional Delegates was even spotted kneeling down to smell the exhaust because she couldn't believe how clean this advanced technology actually is!

All of those who participated agreed that Carbon's E7, coupled with the BMW advanced diesel engine, is the one and only breakthrough product for our brave women and men in uniform that put their lives on the line for us, every single day!