Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago directed the Coral Gables Police Chief to start the procurement process to acquire a Tesla.
The city already has a fleet of over 70 electric cars. The fleet of 35 Nissan Leafs and 23 Chevy Bolts has been successful as green options for city workers. In fact, with such a large EV fleet, Coral Gables has one of the largest electrified fleets in the state of Florida.
Per the police chief, the Tesla would be introduced as a pilot project and primarily patrol downtown Coral Gables. He also confirmed that the Tesla would not be a take-home option for officers.
At a price of $64,000, Tesla is not a cheap investment. However, for the Mayor, it comes down to buying the best available American-made EV. He said to the Miami Harold that:
Listen, I don’t own a Tesla, and I don’t own Tesla stock. But at the end of the day, I just want something made in America. If there is a better electric car that’s made in America, find it for me.
There is no word on when or what type of Tesla the police are looking to procure. However, the police force is looking at other options moving forward, including Chevrolet.
