Following in the footsteps of several other police departments in the US, the City of Eden Prairie in Minnesota has purchased a Tesla to add to their fleet of police cruisers.
In 2019 the police department began working with the Fleet Services Division, which maintains nearly 300 vehicles and pieces of equipment for the city, on the possibility of configuring an all-electric patrol car for daily use. After lengthy research and discussions, the group recently settled on the Model Y as the perfect candidate for the job.
In a report to council on October 20, 2020 seeking approval for the expense, it was noted the Model Y would have a higher up front purchase cost compared to traditional police cruisers. Once taking into account the savings over the lifetime of the vehicle for both fuel and maintenance, the reports says the costs will be about the same, but with far fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
The city plans to use the electric SUV for at least 100,000 miles (160,000km) and will continually monitor its performance during its time on the job.
Based on the savings the Bargersville Police Department saw over the first 13 months of using a Model 3 as a police cruiser, the city is likely underestimating the savings the Model Y will provide.
The City of Fremont, California recently finished up their one year pilot with a used Tesla Model S as a patrol car. They also saw huge fuel and maintenance savings with the electric sedan.
The lower maintenance costs also equated to about half as much downtime compared to their traditional gas patrol cars. The Fremont PD Model S pilot was so successful they have also purchased a Model Y to permanently add to their fleet.
h/t: @MontrealTesla
