More and more police departments are realizing the benefits of adding the Tesla Model 3 to their fleet of police vehicles. Late last year the Westport Police Department announced they had purchased a Performance Tesla Model 3, and this week it had its first shift on duty.
First delivered in early December, the Model 3 has been subject to a number of modifications to get it ready for police duty.
One item that didn’t need to be added to the Tesla was the installation of on-board cameras to record traffic stops and other police incidents. Instead, the Westport PD will be utilizing the built-in cameras on the Tesla and use the footage from TeslaCam instead.
Using the Tesla’s cameras saved the PD around $3,000 USD, helping to offset the higher initial cost compared to their usual choice for squad cars, a Ford Explorer.
Other modifications include obviously installing the police lights and sirens. The team that did the modifications, Whelen Engineering and Fleet Auto Supply, in conjunction with Tesla, wired the equipment to the main 75kWh battery. During testing, which racked up more than 600 miles, showed a negligible impact on the battery and range.
h\t [EVClubCT]
