The Green Bay Police Department is doubling its Tesla fleet after seeing strong results from its first electric patrol vehicles, becoming the latest law enforcement agency to embrace electric vehicles as a way to reduce costs while maintaining frontline operations.
Earlier this week, the Green Bay Common Council approved the purchase of two additional 2026 Tesla Model Y patrol vehicles, bringing the department’s total number of Teslas to four. (via WBay)
The decision comes nearly two years after the department first introduced a pair of Model Ys into service in 2024. According to Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis, the vehicles have significantly outperformed expectations when it comes to operating expenses.
Davis says the department’s two Tesla Model Y patrol vehicles have each cost less than $500 per year to operate since entering service in 2024, with windshield wiper replacements being the only maintenance required so far.
Those savings are becoming increasingly attractive for municipalities facing rising vehicle and fuel costs. While electric patrol vehicles typically require specialized upfitting for emergency equipment, Green Bay officials noted that the total cost of the new Tesla patrol cars will still come in below the cost of purchasing and equipping two conventional police vehicles.
Green Bay’s newest Model Ys will reportedly be used differently than the department’s original pair, allowing police officials to further evaluate how electric vehicles perform across a wider range of law enforcement duties.
The expansion in Green Bay is part of a broader trend that is seeing more police departments across North America, and around the world, adopt Tesla vehicles for daily patrol duties.
Earlier this year the city of Covington, Kentucky announced it is adding seven Tesla Model Y patrol vehicles as part of a larger municipal electric vehicle pilot program. City officials there estimate the transition to electric vehicles could save more than $120,000 over an eight-year period through lower fuel and maintenance expenses.
Other departments have also reported positive results after deploying Tesla vehicles. The South Pasadena Police Department in California became the first agency in the United States to operate a fully electric police fleet, while departments in Texas, Missouri, and Nevada have added Tesla vehicles ranging from Model Ys to Cybertrucks.
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