Following in the footsteps of several other police departments in the US which have gone electric with their newest cruisers, the Westport police department in Connecticut will soon be adding a Performance Tesla Model 3 to their fleet of police vehicles.
According to a news release from the Westport Police Department, the Performance Model 3 has been delivered to them, and is currently undergoing modifications to allow it to join the force, including “emergency lights and sirens, networked computer, a weapon rack and tires capable of sustained speeds of over 100mph”. The modifications are expected to be complete early in the new year, with the Tesla on the beat by the end of January.
Despite a $15,290 USD price difference between the Tesla and the departments typical choice of a Ford Explorer, Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas said he “believes in being
green”, and the superior performance, industry leading safety and collision avoidance technology, and the expected fuel and maintenance savings all made the Model 3 the better choice.
According to the US Department of Energy’s fuel economy calculator, that $15,290 USD price difference will be made up in just the first 3 years. The Model 3 per mile fuel cost will be $0.040, while the Ford Explorer is three times that at $0.127 per mile.
Range is not a concern for the department either, as their typical shift is around 150 miles, more than enough for the Tesla’s 310 mile range. Based on how the Tesla will be driven and the need to respond to emergencies quickly, they expect to get around 220 miles per charge, still more than enough for their typical shift. They will also be installing a Level 2 charger on police property, meaning a full charge every morning for the next shift.
Koskanis also said he is already in direct contact with Tesla “to work on potential ways to leverage the car’s existing systems to better meet the needs of a police force“. This might include the Tesla’s built-in cameras, something which the department would typically need to install at an extra cost.
