Fully electric police cars are gaining popularity, but some people are still skeptical about their benefits, as they tend to have higher purchase prices compared to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. However, the Somerset Police Department in Wisconsin recently justified their decision to add a Tesla Model Y to their fleet by analyzing the total savings they expect to see over the next 10 years of use.
Chief Joel J. Trepczyk stated that the goal was to “save taxpayers money and eliminate idle waste/cost.” Through their projections and calculations, the department estimates that the Tesla Model Y will result in total savings of $83,810 over 10 years of use compared to a conventional Ford Explorer Hybrid.
Read: 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro SSV Is An 580HP Electric Truck For The Police
Electric vehicles like the Tesla Model Y, offer several advantages over traditional combustion-engined and hybrid vehicles. These include the elimination of oil changes, superior performance, and a longer lifespan. The battery in a Tesla EV is designed to last for 500,000 miles with expected degradation, while the electric motors can last for up to 1 million miles with no maintenance required. This is why the Tesla Model Y is expected to last for 10 years, double the lifespan of a conventional ICE-powered Ford.
It’s important to note that police cars spend much of their time parked with the A/C running or driving at low speeds. This is why the fuel efficiency of the Ford Explorer Hybrid is only projected at 15 mpg, compared to the impressive 122 mpge of the Tesla Model Y. This makes EVs a better choice for these types of usage scenarios. When you add in the significantly lower cost per mile of electricity compared to gasoline, the cost savings become even more pronounced, despite the higher initial purchase price of the Tesla Model Y ($55,000) compared to the Ford Explorer Hybrid ($37,000, plus an additional $10,000 for police equipment on both vehicles).
The additional equipment such as lights, siren, police radio, and computer, powered by an auxiliary battery, has minimal impact on the vehicle’s range. The 300-mile range of the police-converted Tesla Model Y has proven to be more than adequate for the department’s needs, as most officers average only 30-60 miles per shift.
According to Trepczyk, all officers in the Somerset Police Department can get behind the wheel of the Tesla Model Y. So far, the feedback from users is positive, although they are still getting adjusted to the one-pedal-driving and the rapid acceleration of the Tesla. The police chief said that they will soon post a video of a Q&A session and a walkaround of the EV later this week. We will update the article when this becomes available.
It’s worth mentioning that the first Tesla Model Y used for police duties was acquired from the New York Police Department in 2021, following similar conversions of the Tesla Model 3. Other EVs used by police forces in the US include the Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lighting Pro SSV. Outside of America, one of the more unusual (and slowest) choices for an EV police car is the Citroen Ami, which is currently in use on the Greek island of Chalki
