Two different United States police departments have decided on the Tesla Model Y to begin the electrification of their fleets.
Recently, California’s Fremont Police department released a report on its use of a Tesla Model S as a police patrol vehicle and found they actually saved quite a bit on fuel. Now, it appears that they’ve upgraded to the larger Tesla Model Y.
San Francisco Chronicle reports: “So far, Fremont police have acquired two out of the three additional electric or hybrid patrol vehicles the city has budgeted for the past two fiscal years: The 2020 Tesla Model Y, which was bought for $57,000, and the 2021 Ford Utility Hybrid PPV, purchased for $48,000. The city is weighing a number of car manufacturers before moving forward.”
But the Fremont Police department doesn’t get to have all the fun. Washington’s Spokane police department has also purchased four Tesla Model Y units.
The Spokesman-Review reported: “After weeks of debate, the council voted Monday to purchase four Tesla Model Y SUVs, overriding a plan outlined by city officials to purchase two hybrid and two traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.”
Spokane’s chief financial officer, Tonya Wallace, said about the purchase: “We all understand that electrification of the fleet is the direction we’re going, and we just need to roll up our sleeves and get that plan developed,”
These small but monumental purchases are just the beginning, as the city has a broader electrification plan in the works for 2021.