South Pasadena’s police cars will soon all be Teslas – IOTW Report

South Pasadena’s police cars will soon all be Teslas

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South Pasadena’s police car fleet is expected to go fully electric by the start of next year.

The city is leasing 20 Teslas through Enterprise for at least five years for police patrol duties, administration and detective work. Some vehicles are already in use, Deputy City Manager Domenica Megerdichian said, while others used for patrol must still be properly outfitted.

Nearly $2 million in city funds was allotted to the leasing agreement, which includes 10 Tesla Model Y vehicles and 10 Tesla Model 3 vehicles, according to City Council agenda reports. The city also received $500,000 in funding from a committee that works to reduce vehicle pollution in the South Coast region.

More than 30 charging ports, including some for public use, will be installed at South Pasadena City Hall parking lots in partnership with Southern California Edison.

“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. “They are the safest and fastest vehicles and will save the city money in lower maintenance and fueling costs.” more here

26 Comments on South Pasadena’s police cars will soon all be Teslas

  1. Do you know why you see videos of people stealing police cars? That’s because they have to be left running or the computers, lights, radios, etc. will kill the batteries if the car is left for any length of time. It takes too long for the computers to reboot if they are shut down. A Tesla is going to be able to handle that? Maybe they can reinstall overhead trolly wires so the police cars can always stay connected.

    And what are they going to do if the grid is shut down — which you know it will be? Maybe if they thought these things out rather than trying to virtue signal they might come up with a better solution.

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  2. Its a small town geographically. Maybe it makes sense. But you do know they’ll be calling other departments for help whenever SHTF (like a chase, or a power outtage). Maybe a good idea, but too soon.

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  3. They do have wicked acceleration and handling, for certain.
    A friend works for City of L.A., got a BMW i3 (that little electric one) several years ago as a company car. He said that initiative did not prove cost-effective, and the cars were not popular.

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  4. So I’ll ask again… how much poisonous pollution does one Tesla fire (that can’t be put out) spew into the air compared to, oh I dunno… 10 million IC cars??

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  5. A fleet of regular police cars are already very expensive and I personally know how quickly they get trashed; arrestees losing bladder/bowel control and vomiting in the back seat, kicking at everything, etc. It’s messy work and the vehicles take a lot of punishment just with the type of nightly(and daily) driving 24/7. Idiotic idea.

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  6. Can you imagine how much the body work would cost after a PIT maneuver. Repair costs on Teslas are outrageous.

    I wonder who on the city council owns, knows somebody who owns, or is getting kickbacks from somebody who owns a Tesla dealership.

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  7. I wonder if they maybe..Oh..Idunnow bought a couple of them and tried them for a while before they replaced their WHOLE FRIKKIN’ FLEET!! Boy..Tesla must have bribed the livin’ sh*t out of the city council.

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  8. “Tesla must have bribed the livin’ sh*t out of the city council.”

    Nope. I’d betcha the city council went to Tesla with their pants down.

    mortem tyrannis
    izlamo delenda est …

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  9. weighted down with all the added weight of equipment and the power draw of lights, radios and computers they’d be lucky to get 100 miles of range out of those things!

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  10. “We have been investigating this transition for five to six years and determined that these electric vehicles will be the best operationally for us,”

    Put that on the calendar and let’s see what happens in 2 or 3 years from now.

    This is nothing more than a boon to the illegal, criminals that inhabit America.

    The ‘powers that be’ can always pass new laws that forbid outrunning a police vehicle that has run out of electrical power.

    The negative responses can easily outlast their stupidity.

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