Innovation
Tesla Model Y Makes World Debut as a Police Vehicle
The Tesla Model Y is now officially one of the vehicles that the Hastings-on-Hudson Police Department in Westchester County of New York has added to their fleet.
Police could have chosen Tesla Model Y because of its acceleration potential and stability while at high speeds. The Tesla Model Y long-range version can go up to 326 miles on a single charge, which is above average for most of the EVs in the market at the moment.
After passing all the requirements of being used as a police vehicle, the Tesla Model Y will now be equipped with sirens, lights, and a radio that police will use for communication. This car will be used in the police’s detective division and not as a patrol vehicle as many might have anticipated. The fact that EVs are very silent compared to gas cars could be another reason the Tesla Model Y is being deployed in the detective’s department.
The Tesla Model Y police car (via Hastings on Hudson Police Department | Facebook)
The Tesla Model Y is by no means the first EV to be used as a police vehicle, as police in the various states have already been using the Tesla Model 3 and Model S to help out. Our history books also show us that the police’s first car back in 1899 was an electric car. It had a maximum speed of 16mph and a range of 30 miles.
More than 100 years later, police are back to EVs, but this time with much better features, thanks to the technological advancements that have happened in the last century.
The estimated costs that the Hastings-on-Hudson Police Department will save after using this car for five will be $8,525, meaning that 100 Tesla Model Ys could save the police over $800,000 in costs that they would have incurred if they were to use gas vehicles. Even though Tesla Model Y’s upfront cost is more than that of the gas alternatives, its long-term maintenance costs are way lower.
In short, it shouldn’t be a surprise if the police eventually do a massive procurement of EVs in the future. EVs are much cheaper to maintain in the long run. It should also be noted that EVs’ prices will slowly go down as the R&D costs for making these vehicles reduce over time.