California Police Department to Replace Vehicle Fleet With Teslas

Tesla car recharges at a Tesla Supercharger station in Pasadena, Calif., on April 14, 2022 (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The South Pasadena Police Department announced its transition to an all-electric vehicle fleet by acquiring Tesla vehicles.

The southern Californian police department said it would lease 20 electric 10 Model Ys and 10 Model 3s, for patrols, detective work, and other duties, for 60 months, which will cost the city nearly $2 million in funds. The city received $500,000 in funding from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee.

The plan also includes the purchase of 30 charging ports, which will be stationed at City Hall and available for public use.

“We have been investigating this transition for five to six years and determined that these electric vehicles will be the best operationally for us,” South Pasadena Police Chief Brian Solinsky said in a statement.

The police department plans to remove all internal combustion engine vehicles from its force and replace them with Teslas by February 2024.

Some of the Teslas are already in use, according to Deputy City Manager Domenica Megerdichian, while others are still being properly outfitted.

“Some of them have K-9 capabilities. They'll be utilized for both the patrol and the detective administratives,” said Megerdichian.

South Pasadena’s Plan Intended to Make City Police More Economic

South Pasadena’s city council approved the plan in September and tasked Unplugged Performance, a vehicle customization company, with outfitting the vehicles.

“Anyone who has investigated the compelling fleet economics of electric vehicle ownership knows that it’s the right solution to go EV and do it with Tesla, however stepping up and taking the leap for the full department requires leadership and commitment from the Mayor, the City Council and the entire department,” Unplugged’s CEO Ben Schaffer said.

Police Sgt. Tony Abdalla, the department’s EV project transition lead, said, “Unplugged Performance are the global experts when it comes to customizing and upfitting Tesla vehicles.

“We are extremely fortunate to partner with the entire Unplugged team as they build the next generation of police vehicles for our entire fleet transition to battery electric vehicles.”

Other police departments have made the switch to electric vehicles like Tesla, such as Falmouth, Massachusets and Fremont, California.

“Tesla’s stunning track record of reliability, low maintenance costs, and impressive on-road performance and driving dynamics make EV transition a safe choice for many departments,” Abdalla said. ”The cost savings are undeniable, and being able to bring Tesla’s entire suite of crash and safety systems to bear on officer safety is an added benefit above and beyond the economics of operating and maintaining this modern EV fleet.”

City Officials Predict Cost Savings

“We looked at a number of options, and many of our fleet are at end of life or nearing end of life,” said Megerdichian.

Megerdichian said that most of the city’s police vehicles needed to be replaced, with some being turned in or sent to auction.

Tesla was seen as the best electric vehicle replacement for the police department’s existing vehicle fleet.

The city’s infrastructure plan also includes installing more electric vehicle charging stations by the end of 2024, both for the city and for public use, in cooperation with Southern California Edison’s “Charge Ready” program.

“It’s actually part of our vision statement that we are committed to an environmentally stable future,” said Megerdichian.

City officials said that residents could see some of the new police model Teslas patrolling the streets over the summer.

Megerdichian said that South Pasadena could save more than $300,000 per vehicle over the next 10 years in fuel and maintenance costs.