Leasing the 17 electric Mini Coopers, now outfitted with Sheriff's Department logos, costs the county only $10 each per month. The cars take three hours to charge and can travel 110 miles before the batteries run down. (Photo courtesy L.A. County Sheriff's Department)

The petite cars will be used by volunteers on patrol, specialized units and for recruiting, spokesman Steve Whitmore said Monday.

With a 150-kilowatt electric motor - the equivalent of 201 horsepower - the cars can go from 0 to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds and can reach a top speed of 95 mph.

"It's a tough little car. It has great control," Whitmore said. "It's going to do well."

The Sheriff's Department unveiled the cars at a press conference at its headquarters in Monterey Park on Monday.

The department is leasing the cars for $10 each a month for one year - a first step in Sheriff Lee Baca's initiative to help "green" the department, Whitmore said.

BMW, which owns the Mini Cooper brand, wants real street experience, he said about the car maker's new venture.

"BMW wants feedback as to how they are going to perform," Whitmore said.

The cars get 110 miles per charge, which takes three hours. BMW installed charging stations and will perform the maintenance on the cars, Whitmore said.

Although the department got the cars two months ago, they needed to be outfitted with equipment and sheriff's logos, he said.

The cars will be used at sheriff's headquarters and department sites including Santa Clarita, West Hollywood, Malibu/Lost