BP American donated its Solar Utility Vehicle (SUV) to the Maryland Department of General Services. Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley accepted the solar-charged, all-terrain vehicle in an August 17 ceremony.
The BP SUV has 31 horsepower and boasts over 170 pounds of torque. The photovoltaic cells that charge the vehicle's batteries were manufactured at BP Solar's facility in Frederick, Md. The vehicle will be used to help the state's police fleet provide security for the State House and government office buildings.
‘I am proud to accept Maryland's first 100-percent solar-charged vehicle in our state's fleet,’ said O'Malley. ‘We are committed to making our state's vehicle fleet as environmentally-friendly as possible to reduce auto-emissions and costs for the people of Maryland. Working together with innovative companies like BP, Maryland will be a leader in the renewable energy economy.’
