Alpharetta, GA PD pitches Tesla Model Y patrol and admin fleet

The Alpharetta, Georgia Police Department has pitched the idea of using Teslas as patrol and administrative vehicles. During a presentation to county council members, Major Trent Lindgren highlighted that Tesla’s electric vehicles could offer a cheaper, more affordable alternative to combustion-powered police cars. 

Major Lindgren asked the council to consider a budget of $349,910.70 to purchase four Tesla Model Y units that are equipped for police use by Tesla tuner Unplugged Performance’s UP.FIT unit. The budget would be enough to cover the vehicles and the necessary charging infrastructure for the Model Y units. As per Lindgren, the Teslas would be used on a trial basis in patrol and administrative duties, as noted in an Appen Media report.

While a budget of $349,910.70 for four Tesla Model Y units may sound steep, Lindgren highlighted that the primary motivator for the police department’s Tesla pitch is cost. Before tax credits are applied, Tesla patrol units in the police department’s pitch would cost $80,744, while the vehicles that would be used for administrative duties would cost $59,722.

NEWS: The Alpharetta, Georgia police department has proposed buying @Tesla patrol, admin cars to provide the city’s police officers a cheaper, more efficient alternative.

The police gave a presentation to council members, asking them to consider the $349,910 purchase of four… pic.twitter.com/GXKdJ7Lleo

— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) October 31, 2024

In comparison, Ford Explorer patrol vehicles cost $70,629.88, while Chevrolet Tahoe patrol vehicles cost $79,811.41. Lindgren, however, highlighted that a Tesla Model Y fleet would offer substantial savings in gas and maintenance. On average, gas-powered police vehicles have a lifetime of about 6-8 years or 110,000 miles. Officers can also spend up to 10 hours a day in their cars. 

“At the end of the day, this is about being a good steward of the taxpayers’ money,” Lindgren noted.

If the city council does approve the Alpharetta PD’s Tesla pitch, the police department would use the four Model Y vehicles to analyze any savings and advantages offered by electric cars. Feedback from officers who use the vehicles would also be collected. Lindgren noted that the police department would then make a decision in a matter of years if electric vehicles could serve as good police cars. 

The Alpharetta PD has about 70 gas vehicles in its patrol fleet. With this in mind, the four proposed Model Y police vehicles could very well become the first of many electric cars that the department may purchase in the future. 

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