Patrol vehicles are extremely important for state police departments, and depending on the region and the force, the types of vehicles used also differ. Every year, state police departments add new vehicles to their fleets. This time around, the Tamil Nadu Police Department inducted 50 brand-new Honda CB350 motorcycles and a Honda Elevate SUV into its fleet.
The video has been shared by Chennai Updates on its X profile. In this video, we see a bunch of Honda CB350 motorcycles being handed over to the police department. It was initially thought that the state government had bought these vehicles. However, another report suggested that Honda had donated these vehicles to the department.
This is not the first time Honda has done such a thing. These donations are made by the Honda India Foundation (HIF), the corporate social responsibility arm of Honda Group companies in India. Earlier, the same group had donated 101 emergency response vehicles to the Mumbai Police earlier this year.
In the Chennai version, we see senior officials from the Tamil Nadu Police Department arriving at Rajarathinam Stadium in Chennai to take delivery of the new vehicles. In this video, we see Chennai Police Commissioner Amalraj flag off the convoy after unveiling the vehicles. The new vehicles donated to the force are expected to help the department improve the mobility of personnel in the field, enhance public safety, and improve response times for law enforcement agencies.
The Honda CB350 motorcycles donated to the police department have been customised for this purpose. We see dual-tone sirens, public address systems, LED emergency lights, large transparent windscreens, police decals, and storage boxes on these motorcycles. The Honda Elevate donated to the force is actually the pre-facelift version, and even the SUV has been customised with LED strobe lights, police stickers on the windscreen, and other equipment on the inside. As mentioned above, Honda donated 50 CB350 motorcycles and one Honda Elevate SUV to the police department. The exact variant of the SUV is not known, but looking at the steel rims with wheel covers, it is clear that this is not one of the top-end trims with premium features.
The Honda CB350 is a retro-style motorcycle powered by a 348 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces 20 bhp and 29.5 Nm of torque. The engine is paired with a 5-speed gearbox, and the motorcycle comes equipped with an assist and slipper clutch, dual-channel ABS, traction control, and several other features. Prices for the Honda CB350 start at ₹1.97 lakh (ex-showroom).
The Honda Elevate, on the other hand, is a mid-size SUV that competes with models such as the Hyundai Creta, Hyundai Bayon, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, and others. It comes equipped with features such as automatic climate control, an electric sunroof, and more. The SUV is currently offered only with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that produces 119 bhp and 145 Nm of peak torque. Buyers can choose between a 6-speed manual and a CVT automatic transmission.